Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is reaching out to the public for a live liver donor as he battles a serious illness.
The franchise announced on Thursday that Melnyk is suffering from liver-related complications, and is in urgent need of a transplant.
As his health deteriorates, the Senators organization put out a call to the public for assistance in finding a live liver donor.
“Time is of the essence and so today on behalf of the Melnyk family, we are appealing to members of the general public who may be interested in becoming a live liver donor,” Senators president Cyril Leeder said Thursday at a news conference.
Melnyk’s condition is “life-threatening,” Leeder said.
The Senators owner has been dealing with health issues since mid-January, and was admitted to hospital three weeks ago due to the onset of “liver-related complications,” the team said.
Melnyk’s family has already reached out to close friends and extended family in an effort to find a donor, but so far, no suitable candidate has been found.
The 55-year-old’s illness was kept under wraps from the public, but his absence from the team’s playoff run was noted by fans and the hockey community.
The team president said Melnyk was reluctant to “go public” with his illness but the organization convinced him to put forth a public plea.
“The need is very urgent and the family has exhausted their local network,” Leeder said. “We wouldn’t be make this public plea if wasn’t a very serious situation.”
The situation is made more complex by Melnyk’s rare blood type, Leeder said.
If he were to receive a liver donation from a person who is deceased, the blood type would need to match. However, a liver donation from a living person does not require a matching blood type.
Live liver donation involves removal a portion of the living donor’s liver and transplanting into the recipient. The liver regenerates itself within 90-120 days and returns back to its normal size.
Any healthy adult between the ages of 18-55 years could be a potential candidate for liver donation.
As the high-profile owner of an NHL team, Melnyk’s campaign attracted hundreds of potential donors within hours, with the hope that one will be a lifesaving match.
But for others, like 24-year-old Anthony Skalvenas, finding potential donors and raising awareness can be an ongoing struggle.
The Vancouverite’s family has been trying for seven years to find a kidney donor for Sklavenas, who was diagnosed with kidney disease at 10.
To raise awareness and encourage others to see if they are a match, Sklavenas’ mother, Sophie Charalambides and grandmother, Mache Charalambides, have launched online campaigns. The pair also regularly takes to the streets, carrying signs and informational pamphlets on organ donation.
“We’re doing it to find somebody, somebody with a huge heart to come forward and change my grandson’s life,” Mache told CTV News.
Sophie says news exposure and online campaigns really help.
“There’s always someone out there who’s willing to donate, which is awesome,” she said.
To get in touch with Sklavenas’ family, you can email getanthonyakidney@outlook.com or call the BC TRansplant Pre-Assessment Clinic at 604-875-5182.
Organ donation awareness
With not enough people signing organ donation cards, emotional public appeals for help have become the norm, with some degree of success.
Earlier this year, Ontario’s Wagner family launched a public campaign for a liver donor after learning that only one of their ill twin girls could receive a portion of their father’s liver.
An anonymous donor came forward, and both girls have now received life-saving liver transplants. The family’s campaign also brought forward 600 potential liver donors.
At Thursday’s news conference, Leeder said while their first concern is for Melnyk, they hope to shed light on the need for organ donation in general.
“One of the reasons we need live liver donation is because not enough people are joining organ donation programs, so if some good can come of this, we can raise awareness.”
Gary O’Byrne, of the Canadian Liver Foundation, echoed that sentiment.
“I think everything we can do today can help everyone that’s out there waiting,” O’Byrne said. “It increases awareness and people are going to think about it, so I think all of it comes together to help everyone.”
For more information on being a living liver donor, check out University Health Network’s Liver Donor Manual.
Anyone interested in being tested to determine if they would be a suitable donor must complete a form. The form can then be faxed to Toronto General Hospital’s Living Donor Assessment Office at 416-340-4317.
For those with questions regarding being a donor, the Senators will have staff available to answer calls at 613-599-0100 until 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 15.
With files from CTV medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
