Doctors explore lifting barriers to living organ donation

-Source- ABC- Surgeons turned down Terra Goudge for the liver transplant that was her only shot at surviving a rare cancer. Her tumor was too advanced they said even though Goudge had a friend ready to donate no matter those odds. I have a living donor Im not taking away from anyone. Im trying to save my own life she pleaded. Finally the Los Angeles woman found a hospital on the other side of the country that let the pair try. People lucky enough to receive a kidney or part of a liver from a living donor not only cut years off their wait for a transplant but those organs also tend to survive longer. Yet living donors make up a fraction of transplants and their numbers have plateaued amid barriers that can block otherwise willing people from giving. Among them: varying hospital policies on who qualifies and the surprising financial costs that some donors bear. Governor Dannel Malloy celebrated the decision made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to stay the deportation of Nelson Santos a father of three who needs a kidney transplant. Governor rejoices over ICE staying deportation of man needing kidney transplant VIDEO: Daughter loses 55 pounds to donate kidney to superhero dad Daughter loses 55 pounds to donate kidney to superhero dad Now researchers are exploring ways to lift those barriers and ease the nations organ shortage. We just want people to be given the chance to at least entertain this as a possibility said Dr. Abhinav Humar transplant chief at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where Goudge ultimately received part of friend Amy Alecks liver. Thousands of people die each year waiting for an organ transplant. Nearly 14000 are on the waiting list for a liver transplant. Of 8082 transplants last year just 367 were from living donors according to the United Network for Organ Sharing or UNOS which oversees the nations transplant system. Living kidney donations are more common but still not enough to meet the need. About 95000 people are on the kidney waiting list. Of 19849 transplants last year 5811 were from living donors.