Lower Burrell woman, others join 6-person living-donor transplant swap

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Katherine "Kate" Maloney is definitely a daddy's girl.

And her father, Steve Leach, is definitely a girl dad.

"When I look at my dad, I see a strong, hardworking man. I see my best friend," said Maloney, 30, of Lower Burrell. "I see an amazing grandfather. I love that I can always count on him, that he is always a call away. I love knowing how kind and generous he is. How he will help anyone in need, even if it's just someone to talk to."

In June, it was Maloney's turn to help her dad. He had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, and then cancer. With limited treatment options, Maloney opted to donate part of her liver to her father.

The act was part of a six-person living-donor liver transplant swap that stretched from Western Pennsylvania to California.

"I have had people thank me for donating to him, which I find strange," Maloney said. "If they got to know him like I do, they would think it was a no-brainer decision, too. He made the decision easy for me just by being such an amazing person and father to me. I love that every unique thing I do or have done, he has taught me."

The surgery strengthened their father-daughter bond.

"She is my hero," Leach said as he looked at his daughter with other donors and recipients gathered last week in front of UPMC Montefiore in Oakland, where the operation was performed. "I was worried because Kate has two young girls, and I knew it wasn't going to be an easy recovery process. I was overwhelmed after the surgery with all the tubes in my body. I am so grateful to her."

Father daughter bond

Teaching Maloney has been a joy for Leach, 63, of Indiana, Pa.

"I have to tell you, there is something very special about having a daughter," Leach said. "When Kate was younger, she would often just sit in my lap and we'd watch TV together or read a book. There are few things that can compare with the feeling of love you get from that. Even today I love being called 'Daddy' -- it has such a special ring."

The relationship is special because they are so much alike, Maloney said. They can be honest with each other and they talk about everything.

"My dad is my idol and has been a bright vibrant light since the day I was born," she said. "He taught me how to be a good friend and to be a giving person."

When he was put on the transplant waiting list, Maloney immediately said, "What do I need to do?"

The surgery was June 4.

"This experience has been unreal and a blessing," she said. "I truly believe if we could get the word out there, more and more people's lives can be saved. I am grateful I got to do this for my dad. When they took me away for the operation, I was not afraid for myself. I was afraid for him."

Dr. Abhi Humar, UPMC's chief of transplantation, performed the surgery. UPMC has done more than 500 living liver donations.

During a living-donor transplant, a healthy adult can donate a portion of their liver to someone with end-stage liver disease. Following the surgery, the donor's liver will regenerate, or grow back, in a few months, Humar said.

Several tests are performed to see if the donor and recipient are a match.

Recovery time

Maloney experienced some pain, but she knew she was helping her dad, the man who taught her so many things such as woodworking. He helped her build a swing set for her daughters, Avery, 4, and Amelia, 2. The stay-at-home mom said she sees a beautiful connection with her husband, Derek, and their daughters. Seeing her dad with his granddaughters reminds Maloney of her childhood.

"The love they have for him is heartwarming," she said. " 'Pop Pop' is everything."

Maloney and Leach have hunted and fished together, and her dad is an amazing cook, she said. He said he wanted to teach his children many things that a dad and his daughter or son would do together.

He inspired her to be hardworking and independent and to be kind and to give back to her community, she said.

Leach was a swimmer. Maloney wanted to be just like him. Leach said he encouraged Maloney and her brother to swim. Leach, a self-employed investment adviser and financial planner, was involved with the local YMCA swim program.

In 1996, he showed his daughter his high school swimming gold medal to encourage her.

"It happened to be the same year as the summer Olympics," Leach said. "Well, after that I seemed to get an unusual level of respect at the YMCA while around the pool. Later I found out that she told her swim teachers that I was an Olympic gold medalist."

Maloney and Leach see each other a few times a month and on holidays. One of their favorite family outings is picking blueberries with Maloney's daughters, Leach's wife Su, their son Adam and his son Talyn, 8, and other family members. They went blueberry picking at Stutzman Farm near Indiana, Pa., less than two months after the surgery.

"Maybe not the best thing to do during our recovery, but I think these types of traditions are important," Leach said.

After his son was born, Leach said he hoped to have a daughter.

"When Kate was born, I guess my initial reaction was happiness," Leach said. "Of course, like every parent, I was glad she was healthy and all. It was not until later I realized how lucky I was. Hopefully, I taught her to not be afraid to do things she wanted to do, even if they were perhaps 'out of the norm.' Maybe I even taught her to think of the needs of others. After all, she did give me a part of her liver."

Nondirected, altruistic donation

Maloney and Leach were a match, but she wasn't the only family member who wanted to donate to Leach. His nephew, Josiah Leach, 26, of Titusville, also was willing.

"I have always been a giving person through volunteering, so I said, 'If you need a liver, I am your guy,' " Josiah Leach said. "Kate was a match also, and it was decided she would be the best one for Uncle Steve, but I wanted to stay committed to my word. I am young and capable of doing it."

Maloney and her father had what is called a direct donation, which is when the donor specifically chooses who will receive the transplant. There is also a nondirected, altruistic donation which is when the donor is neither related to nor known by the person in need. He or she makes the donation purely out of selfless reasons. The recipient is determined primarily by medical compatibility.

Josiah Leach found a recipient in George Rogers, 73, of Fresno, Calif. He was referred to Humar after two possible liver donation surgeries fell through. His nephew, Casey Rogers, wanted to donate but wasn't a match.

"I have been 18 months on this journey," said George Rogers, who had nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a condition in which large amounts of fat build up in the liver and causes swelling and scarring. "Casey and I want to do everything we can to promote living-donor transplants."

Josiah Leach said the May 28 surgery was harder than he thought but yielded a high reward.

"When we met days after surgery, there were a lot of emotions," Josiah Leach said. "I felt actual pride. I actually did something here. We shed a few tears."

And then George's nephew from California, Casey Rogers, 49, found a recipient in Tim Corbin, 49, of Eighty Four. Corbin received a living liver donation from Casey Rogers on June 5. Corbin, 49, had a congenital disorder of the bile ducts which resulted in repeated liver infections. The two men cried when they met after the procedure.

"When we met, there were really no words I could have said to thank him enough," Corbin said. "There were just no words. I was in shock when they said they had a donor. "When I met Casey, I was speechless. We plan to take a trip out West, and we will definitely visit them. This is such a gift."

The process required for three such transplants required the entire team at UPMC. According to UPMC, 5% of all transplants across the country are living donors, while 60% of transplants at UPMC are from a living donor.

Humar said he does what he does because of the way he feels when he sees these six individuals walking and talking and hugging. They are living their lives and they now share a special connection, he said. Humar said he is committed to raising awareness about living donors.

"This is what it's all about, these people right here," Humar said as he motioned toward the six enjoyed a beautiful sunny, summer day. "This illustrates so well the amazing story of the power of living donor transplants.

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne at 724-853-5062, [email protected] or via Twitter .

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