Liver transplant recipient and grandmother of six celebrates her second chance at life

Clovis, Calif. (Oct. 29, 2024) — Karen Pierce, a Clovis, California resident, went to a doctor in July 2023 after experiencing issues with swelling. In just under four months, she was diagnosed with cirrhosis and fatty liver disease and was transferred to the University of San Francisco to undergo additional treatment. 

Karen Pierce, liver transplant recipient, and her husband, Ty.

Karen was put on the transplant waiting list the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 22, 2023. The next day, while celebrating the holiday with her family at the hospital, she was informed there was a liver available for her life-saving transplant. 

Since her transplant, Karen now enjoys supporting her six grandchildren, ages 3 through 14, at their many sporting events. She is also very involved in her church and hopes to return to playing golf again. She looks forward to continuing to travel with her husband, Ty.

“Organ donation gave me a whole new life where I can be with my family and grandchildren,” said Karen. “Sharing the gift of life with someone else is an incredible opportunity.” 

Soon after Karen’s transplant, she and her family wrote thank-you letters to the donor’s family––the Pierce family was thrilled to receive a response, and Karen looks forward to connecting with her donor’s family in the future.

“I’ve always been a donor, but experiencing everything, I’ve become a bigger advocate,” said Karen. “I would encourage anybody and everybody to be a donor.”

In 2023, over 46,000 transplants were made in the United States thanks to the generosity of organ donors. A single donor has the power to save up to eight lives through organ donation. Learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation here.