For most of her life, Sea Cliff’s Amy McGorry has battled two rare diseases that have slowly damaged her liver — autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis.
Now, after a recent medical crisis that sent her into liver failure, McGorry is urgently searching for a living liver donor — someone healthy with O-positive blood who is willing to donate a portion of their liver and potentially save her life.
In recent weeks, the former News 12 Long Island and TV55 anchor and reporter said her health took a frightening turn. A combination of a bleeding ulcer, complications from iron infusions and years of liver deterioration from PBC overwhelmed her body.
“God, I’m praying,” McGorry told Greater Long Island. “I’m petrified and I just can’t believe this is my life right now.”
For patients like McGorry, the path to a transplant can be especially challenging. Traditional scoring systems often rank PBC patients lower than others, meaning many must rely on living donors. Without one, the risk of internal bleeding and life-threatening complications remains.
A living liver donation involves a healthy adult donating a portion of their liver to a patient. Doctors say both the donor’s and recipient’s livers typically regenerate within two to three months. The procedure, however, is major surgery and requires recovery time, time away from work and a strong personal commitment.
Her family says anyone who is O-positive, between ages 20 and 60, in good health and willing to undergo the evaluation process may be able to help.
And help is what she needs most right now.
Even in the midst of her own fight, McGorry is continuing to advocate for others. She and 30 people living with liver disease were invited to Washington, D.C., in April with the American Liver Foundation to meet with lawmakers about the Living Donor Protection Act, which seeks to remove barriers and strengthen protections for living organ donors. Currently, some states do not provide Family and Medical Leave Act benefits for living donors.
“I can’t sit around and be a victim,” she said. “I need to focus on something else, otherwise I keep losing it.”
Until then, McGorry says she will keep searching — and praying — that someone steps forward.
“This is bigger than me,” McGorry said. “It’s about hope, and maybe, just maybe, someone out there can be my miracle.”
To donate
To be considered, visit this link and enter the name “Amy McGorry” as the recipient with the birthdate 10/17/1969: http://nyp.org/livingdonorliver.
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