MEET SAM
Sam went to school for Horticulture and plans to work for a greenhouse organization as a grower.
He loves his fraternity Phi Kappa Tau and will always keep in close contact with his brothers. Sam enjoys working out and is currently training for a half marathon. He still loves his gaming and music, and periodically picks up his guitars.
He also has a music board on which he creates his own playlists putting together his own sounds.
He loves Colorado but his home will always be PA.
SAM'S MOM AND DAD
A little background on Sam's experience
When our son Sam was in ninth grade he got an awful case of Mono. Before that, he was an active, healthy, 15-year-old. He was working out and had just made the Conestoga Crew team. Sam was moving on up and feeling good about himself. Then boom - he woke up one morning with huge glands and I knew he had Mono. The nurse in me and the mommy in me knew he was really sick.
We went to the doctor and had blood confirmation that he indeed did have Mono and his liver enzymes were through the roof. Weeks went by and his enzymes would not go down. Then months went by. Our family doctor at Penn Medicine finally said that he wanted Sam to see a liver specialist at CHOP (children's hospital of Philadelphia).
After tons of blood work, endoscopy, colonoscopy, and a liver biopsy, we had our diagnosis (multiple diagnoses). He had Wilson's disease, Crohn's disease, and PSC (primary sclerosing cholangitis).
Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disease in which your body does not allow your liver to get rid of Copper. To treat Wilson's, Sam had to go on a low copper diet. Can you say no chocolate in your life? He also had to go on medication that costs $22,000 a month.
You read that right.
I had a meltdown in Walgreens when I found out the price. We are soooo lucky that we have great health insurance and it was covered.
Crohn's and PSC usually go hand in hand. PSC is a disease where the bile ducts get inflamed, scar, and then the bile cannot get to the small intestines. Bile then backs up and causes liver damage. Thus the reason for this effort. Sam needs a new liver.
We need to find a donor who meets specific criteria. The ideal candidate is 45 yrs old or younger, B+ or O blood type.
Sam is not eligible for liver from a deceased donor due to his young age, and technically he is not considered in liver failure. His cholesterol levels are the big issue and his current meds aren't sustainable in the long term
Traci and Hugh
(Sam's parents)