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Army veteran gets liver donation from daughter at UPMC

PITTSBURGH — UPMC partnered with VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System to perform a living-donor liver transplant for an Army veteran.

According to a release, Timothy Yablonski received a portion of liver from his daughter, Alyssa Last. Both transplant surgeries were done at UPMC in mid-March.

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Officials said Yablonski’s surgery marks the first time any VA in the nation has participated in a living-donor liver transplant, in which a portion of a healthy person’s liver is transplanted to someone in need of a liver.

Yablonski lives in New York, while his daughter lives in Florida. Last said she knew she wanted to help as soon as the family found out he was eligible for a living-donor transplant.

“As soon as we found out he was able to receive a living-donor liver transplant, I wanted to help,” Last told UPMC. “I was the first one who applied and was evaluated for it.”

Both are receiving follow-up care at VA medical facilities.