When Gary Seiden, DDS, went in for a lung scan in January 2019 on the advice of a friend, he was in for a shock. He learned that his lungs were fine, but that he had a suspicious spot in his abdomen that was identified as a cancerous tumor of the liver presenting with no symptoms. After having an initial procedure done at another Baltimore-area hospital and receiving a level of care that he found to be lacking, Dr. Seiden chose to be placed on the transplant list at our MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute.
On July 4, he received the official call that a new liver was available for him. “There’s so much stress while you’re on the transplant list. Every call you get you have to pick up the phone and every time you answer your heart sinks,” Dr. Seiden says. With COVID-19 visitor restrictions in place, Dr. Seiden was unable to have his husband with him, but he received exceptional care from his medical team that prevented him from feeling alone.
“It was the greatest experience you could possibly have in a liver transplant. I had so much confidence in my team and I trusted everything that they said because the care I received felt really individualized,” he states. While making a surprisingly quick recovery from the transplant surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Dr. Seiden spoke with Dayna Kuhar, an old friend and member of the MedStar Georgetown philanthropy team, about his experience. Dr. Seiden shared with Dayna that he wanted to express his gratitude surrounding his seamless transplant experience immediately.
Dr. Seiden was interested in the MedStar Georgetown Transplant Patient Medication Assistance fund, supporting patients who cannot afford their vital transplant medications. Two days after his transplant procedure while still in the hospital, he donated funds and encouraged friends to do the same, recognizing the impact of expressing gratitude. Giving back to the system that cared for him with such expertise has also inspired Dr. Seiden to continue his philanthropic vision with Dayna to build a lasting legacy at MedStar Georgetown.
Dr. Seiden is grateful for the exceptional medical care that he received, especially from his transplant coordinator Maggie Green, transplant surgeon Raffaelle Girlanda, MD, and hepatologist Amol S. Rangnekar, MD. “Being a provider, I personally know the importance of sitting and listening to patients, and this team did that,” Dr. Seiden acknowledges. “Every single thing was done with care, which matters.”