Patient Stories

• Bob had colon cancer that had spread to his liver. Multiple transplant programs had turned him away because of his age and medical history.
• He traveled 1,100 miles from Boston to Cincinnati for a second opinion at UC Health. Within days of his evaluation, he was approved for transplant.
• Just days later, he received a new liver—and a new chance to watch his grandchildren grow up.

At 77 years old, Bob had spent much of his life caring for others. A Vietnam veteran who served in the Army Medical Corps, he went on to build a career in health care, including years as a clinical medical assistant and nurse.

But in 2024, Bob found himself on the other side of the hospital bed.

A routine colonoscopy led to a diagnosis of colon cancer. After surgery, additional testing revealed the cancer had spread to his liver. Over the next two years, Bob endured aggressive chemotherapy and continued searching for a path forward.

Then came the news he never expected: He needed a liver transplant—but multiple transplant programs were unwilling to give him one.

“They told me I had one to three years to live,” Bob recalled.

For many people, that might have been the end of the search. For Bob, it was only the beginning.

A refusal to give up

Bob began pursuing every option he could find.

His journey took him through some of the country's most recognizable health care institutions. He sought opinions from multiple transplant programs, including Massachusetts General Hospital, New York-Presbyterian, the University of Rochester and Mayo Clinic.

Again and again, he heard variations of the same answer.

He was too old. His medical history was too complicated. A transplant was not an option.

At one point, Bob had been preparing for a living donor transplant with his daughter, who was ready to donate part of her liver. But after months of testing and preparation, the transplant was ultimately not approved.

“I didn’t give up,” Bob said. “I kept going.”

Bob believed there had to be another option. His daughter was willing to donate. His medical team had identified and treated a serious blockage that could have affected his transplant eligibility. And his cancer had remained stable. 

So he kept looking.

One last search—and a reason to hope

Bob eventually went online and began researching UC Health's transplant program.

That's when he came across the story of another transplant patient who, like Bob, had been told elsewhere that age and other factors could limit her options. After coming to UC Health for a second opinion, she was evaluated, listed and ultimately received a liver transplant.

For Bob, that story changed everything.

“The minute I clicked on the video, I saw this lady and how they helped her, I knew right then and there that was the place,” Bob said. “If anybody was going to do it, this place would be the one.”

He filled out the online referral form.

“That was my last chance,” he said. “I took that last chance, filled out the referral, and the rest is history.”

Within days, Bob heard from UC Health. His transplant coordinator helped him begin the process and arranged for him to come to Cincinnati for a comprehensive evaluation.

Bob and his wife flew from Boston to meet with the transplant team.

“I talked to everyone during the evaluation,” Bob said. “And then I met Dr. Quillin.”

For Bob, the experience immediately felt different. After completing his evaluation with the pre-transplant care team, including Dr. Cutler Quillin, UC Health’s Surgical Director of Liver Transplant, he returned home to wait for a decision.

Then his coordinator called.

He had been approved for transplant.

“When can you get out here?” she asked.

Bob's answer was simple.

“As soon as I can pack a bag.”

“Bob came to us looking for one last chance, and self-referral gave him a path forward. His journey from losing hope to receiving a life-saving liver transplant is a powerful reminder of what can happen when we look at the whole person and remain open to what’s possible,” said Brandi Klug, Post Liver Transplant Coordinator at UC Health. 

Going the distance for expert care

Bob and his wife packed their car and made the 1,100-mile journey from Massachusetts to Cincinnati.

 For Bob, the decision was easy.

“You were the only ones that gave me a chance to live,” he said. “It's a no-brainer. You have to go with the care and the services to save your life.”

Bob arrived in Cincinnati and was officially listed for transplant.

Two days later, he received a call. The first potential organ did not become available. But the following day—Memorial Day—his phone rang again.

This time, he needed to come to the hospital.

By that evening, Bob was headed to surgery.

“I got there, got all prepped up, and then, like clockwork, at 3 o'clock, an army was standing in front of my bed,” Bob recalled. “There was the operating team.”

Seven hours later, Bob had a new liver.

His transplant was performed by UC Health liver transplant surgeon Dr. Christine Haugen.

A second chance at life

Bob's recovery has given him plenty of time to reflect on the journey that brought him to Cincinnati.

As someone who has spent much of his life working in health care and had received care at several prominent hospitals, he says what stood out most at UC Health was the people.

“I'm just blown away by everybody here,” Bob said.

“Being around the clinical field for so many years, I have never experienced care like I have received here. Never.”

He also praised the coordination of his care.

“The coordination is beyond belief,” he said.

Now, Bob is focused on what comes next.

Before his transplant, he lived with the knowledge that time might be running out.

“I had a clock ticking,” he said.

“Bob had been told ‘no’ several times, but he never stopped searching for an answer,” said Dr. Quillin. “That determination matters. Our job is to carefully evaluate every patient's individual circumstances and determine whether there is a safe path forward. For Bob, there was—and being able to help give him that opportunity has been incredibly rewarding.”

Today, he is looking forward to watching his grandchildren grow up, attending their sporting events and making memories with his family—including a long-delayed trip to Italy.

After everything he has been through—from cancer to chemotherapy to being told repeatedly that transplant wasn't an option—Bob has distilled his journey into one word.

“Persistence.”

Why choose UC Health for liver transplant care

For patients facing complex liver disease or seeking a second opinion, UC Health in Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of the nation's leading transplant programs. Our team provides patients with advanced treatment options that may not be available elsewhere.

• Shorter liver transplant wait times: Patients at UC Health receive liver transplants three times faster than the national average, helping them access life-saving care sooner.
• No physician referral required: Fill out an online form or contact our liver transplant team directly to begin the evaluation process. A physician referral is not required.
• Expert, team-based care: Hepatologists, transplant surgeons, coordinators and specialists collaborate to provide personalized care.

Learn more about liver transplant care at UC Health by calling 513-584-9999.