Brian's Story

A Special Holiday Season

A few years ago, continuing his family tradition of cooking the Thanksgiving dinner was out of the question for Brian Rath.

Only 10 days prior to Thanksgiving 2011, after a long battle with end-stage liver disease and 113 days on the United National Organ Sharing (UNOS) transplant waiting list, Brian had received a liver transplant through the Penn Transplant Institute. He was fortunate to have been discharged just in time to go home and share a quiet holiday with his wife, 10-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter, but he truly missed being able to cook for his entire extended family.

Recovery After Liver Transplant

On Thanksgiving 2013, Brian returned to his role as chef for the day. Thanksgiving was always a family favorite of the Raths, but this year’s recovery milestone made it a day to be truly thankful. 

Brian credits his wife for helping him persevere through the fear and uncertainty of waiting for a liver to become available and through the long and arduous recovery from surgery.

“She picked up our family and carried us on her shoulders throughout all of this,” he states. “I am amazed by her strength.” 

But they both agree that she did not do it alone.

“It was amazing to see how many people in our community – friends, neighbors and even strangers, were willing to help us,” Brian remembers. “Even as I was very limited in what I could do and needed more attention from my wife, our kids never missed a soccer practice or other activity. Someone was always volunteering to help. That was important to us as a family – to maintain as much normalcy as possible, and it could not have been done without the help of those around us.”

While the support of others was critical, since Brian has always been one to offer help to other people he had a hard time accepting offers of help from friends and neighbors, particularly knowing he could never repay them.

“My transplant really helped me become more connected with people in my community,” Brian explains. “One important thing I learned through my ordeal was how to accept the kindness of other people.”

Hepatitis C and Liver Transplant

The cause of Brian’s liver disease was the hepatitis C virus, which he contracted from a blood product as a teenager. Unfortunately, while his liver transplant successfully treated his end-stage liver disease, the virus lingered and began attacking his new liver.

To combat the virus and work to preserve his new liver, Brian began an intense treatment protocol guided by his doctors at Penn. The treatment side effects left him with severe flu-like symptoms, but after 68 weeks, Brian was cleared of the virus. 

Celebrating a Transplant Anniversary

One year after his transplant and very close to his 40th birthday, Brian and his wife invited their friends and family to an anniversary celebration to thank them for all of their support. To commemorate their gratitude, Brian’s wife and kids secretly enlisted TLC’s Cake Boss to create a “thank you” cake.

“The kids wanted the whole cake to be shaped like a liver,” Brian recalls. “But thankfully the Cake Boss convinced them it would look better with a transplanted liver on top, right in the middle of the cake. It was great.”

Shortly before his two-year transplant anniversary, Brian completed a local 5K charity run where his children joined him as he crossed the finish line

“It had been a very long road for me and my family,” Brian says. “But thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff at the Penn Transplant Institute, we were able to cross one more finish line together.”

Advice for Liver Transplant Patients

When asked what advice he has for patients awaiting liver transplant, Brian says he thinks it is important for people know they are not alone.

“Someone else has gone through what you’re going through – has felt the anger, frustration and helplessness. But they have made it through, and so can you.” Brian says. “You have to fight and keep living through every stage of the transplant process and let other people help you along the way.”