Learn more about living liver donation

More than 2,800 people each year will die while waiting for a liver transplant. But, they don’t have to.

UPMC is proud to announce that we are continuing our commitment to saving lives through living-donor liver transplants. For more than 30 years, UPMC experts have made an indelible mark on the field of transplant medicine. Today, as one of the oldest and largest transplant programs and a national leader in living-donor liver transplant, we are excited to offer hope to patients waiting for a life-saving liver transplant.

Learn more from the Wall Street Journal about how UPMC is leading the drive for living donor liver transplants. 

Never Miss a Beat!

Get Healthy Tips Sent to Your Phone!

Message and data rates may apply. Text the word STOP to opt out and HELP for help. Click here to view the privacy and terms.

Living-Donor Liver Transplant

Living-donor liver transplants provide a life-saving option for patients in need of a liver transplant. If you, or someone you love, has been diagnosed with end-stage liver disease, we encourage you to talk to your family about living donation. By helping to reduce time spent on the transplant waiting list, you can receive a transplant sooner – getting you back to enjoying life with your family and loved ones. That is why we see it as a first-line option for patients on the liver transplant waiting list.

Additional benefits include:

  • Little or no wait time
  • Faster recovery time
  • Improved long-term outcomes

Supporting Liver Transplant Patients Every Step of the Way

At UPMC, we understand how difficult this process can be for patients and their families, so we are dedicated to helping every patient along this journey. We have a variety of resources available, including:

  • UPMC Living Donor Champion Program – UPMC will help you identify a Champion: a family, friend, or loved one who provides support in finding a donor, so you can focus on staying healthy. Through the UPMC Living Donor Champion Program, patients and their support system can take advantage of the following resources:
    • Champion Workshops – Attend a free educational workshop about living donation and resources for finding a donor
    • Champion Ambassador – Our Living Donor Champion Ambassador is available to provide personal support to you and your Champion via phone or the online Champion Support Group.
  • Living Donor Champion Information Sessions – the UPMC Living Donor Transplant team will provide materials so you can host an event in your community to share your story and find a living donor.
  • Living Donor Social Hub – Join our Facebook page to learn more about living donation and interact with patients going through the same thing as you.
  • Living Donor Transplant Team – You and your donor will have access to the living donor transplant team at all times to ask any questions or raise any concerns.

If you or a loved one needs a liver transplant don’t wait. Visit LifeChangingLiver.com for more information about living-donor liver transplants at UPMC.

About Transplant Services

For more than four decades, UPMC Transplant Services has been a leader in organ transplantation. Our clinicians have performed more than 20,000 organ transplant procedures, making UPMC one of the foremost organ transplant centers in the world. We are home to some of the world’s foremost transplant experts and take on some of the most challenging cases. Through research, we have developed new therapies that provide our patients better outcomes — so organ recipients can enjoy better health with fewer restrictions. Above all, we are committed to providing compassionate, complete care that can change – and save – our patients’ lives. Visit our website to find a provider near you.