Just like Hollywood, there is a happy ending to this story that first appeared in my Seaside blog in April 2012. The Internet fundraising campaign was wildly successful and Peggy and her son received many kind donations from all over the world – more than enough to pay for their extra costs. Mother and son recovered fully and are presently doing very well in the community!
My original blog:
Love can make you do the strangest things … like giving someone half your liver. This is a story of profound love, sacrifice and courage, and a woman’s need for the community to stand behind her in the most terrifying time of her life.
On May 7th, Peggy Mahoney of Victoria will get a new liver and a new life. She is scheduled to undergo a liver transplant in Vancouver General Hospital. Peggy has serious liver disease, but there is no rhyme or reason to this crushing diagnosis. No addiction or alcohol problem, no problem with Hepatitis. Talk about a cruel twist of fate for someone living a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes the gods play dice with our lives.
Peggy has spent her adult life in compassionate service to this community: Executive Director of an agency that helps abused kids, Program Manager for the Crisis Line and Executive Director for the Social Planning Council of Victoria. Now it is time for our community to rally around this courageous woman in her time of need.
The love story here is poignant: Peggy’s son will also be going under the knife on May 7th. He will be donating half his liver to save his mom’s life. Nobody is holding a gun to his head; this is the ultimate sacrifice in the name of love. Yes, his liver will grow back to normal size again, but undergoing such a heavy-duty surgery always carries some serious risks. Because Peggy is such a small person, she only needs half of her son’s liver, but it looks like she could always count on his whole heart.
There is always a shortage of deceased donor organs – the long wait time results in many people become too ill for surgery and losing their chance for a transplant; some literally die waiting. The relatively new live liver transplants give life and hope to many more people. David volunteered to give the gift of life to his mother – ironically right before that Hallmark date on the calendar. Luckily he was the perfect match!
When someone is fighting for their life, the last thing they need is any extra worry and stress. Not only is Peggy undergoing the biggest trial of her life, she also has to bear the brunt of all the massive extra expenses involved in the surgery. Try to imagine planning for an organ transplant with all of the monumental challenges of dealing with a serious illness, doctors, the medical system and the severe stress of knowing that your life depends on a skilled scalpel. It is inconceivable and unthinkable that anyone should have to worry about money at a time like this, but this surgery can only be done in Vancouver, so Peggy has the extra burden of paying the costs of staying in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
A liver transplant is an intricate procedure with many possible complications, therefore patients have to stay in Vancouver for several months post-surgery to deal with any problems and to receive medication. During this time they need a live-in support person because they are immune-suppressed and cannot go out in public. The donor also needs time to heal and recover. In an email, Peggy is worried: “There are the post-surgery costs, accommodation costs and costs to outfit the accommodation – about $6,000 for both.” Then there are the costs of airfare for her son and three relatives from back East who will be taking care of Peggy. With the costs of food, extra expensive medications and everything else, the financial hit is overwhelming and devastating. Her website states: “The costs for families from other parts of B.C. to have a live donor recipient liver transplant can be as much as $10,000.”
Peggy is at the end of her tether. Talking with her, I can hear the angst and tension in her voice. She explains that many people in this situation are on some kind of disability pension and cannot absorb the crippling expenses. She muses: “Having the resources to heal after a major operation is one of the most important factors in a good outcome and successful recovery.” In David’s “story” on their website, he doesn’t mince words: “The system instils many costs on patients, the ones that they are supposed to be caring for.” He makes an appeal to the community with the words “Please, consider supporting us as we push to meet these costs.”
This mother-son team want to raise awareness about donor liver transplants and they want to set a template for other families going through this hell on earth. “On top of our fundraising objectives, it is very important to me to pass the tools we have created for fundraising to the next family who may not have these skills,” Peggy reflects in an email. On the phone, Peggy is passionate about using any extra money raised to “pay it forward” in helping other families with the costs of staying in Vancouver and in helping support people with their expenses. Hers is an ongoing effort to give hope to other Island families faced with transplant surgery in Vancouver. Peggy’s reflection, “No one in Canada should die because they could not get the funds and support together for surgery that will save their life,” puts everything in perspective.
Right now is where a caring community takes over. Very few people have to face this kind of ordeal in their lives. Our collective humanity urges us all to take this family in our arms and help in any way that we can. Forget those chai lattés and spa sessions for a few weeks and put some money toward helping a family survive the worst hell of their lives. Let’s put some more polish on our enviable reputation of being a community where kindness matters.
Peggy’s brand new website is www.sharedpartsneedbighearts.ca. Take some time to read it, then please look into your heart and click on the button that says “DONATE” or make your donation through the BMO Bank. For account information, contact admin@sharedpartsneedbighearts.ca. It will make your day and you will be walking on air.
Memo to Peggy and David: On May 7th, thousands of smiles and hugs from the Island will keep you and your son warm and safe as you begin a new chapter in your lives. We all wish you both a successful surgery and recovery.
Here is my personal wish: May you both soon enjoy a sunset at English Bay and laugh together as the soft waves caress the shore. Most of all, Peggy, may you dance under starlight for many more years to come.
By Doreen Marion Gee
Contact Peggy Mahoney at pegmahoney@shaw.ca