A Facebook post by a man seeking liver donors caught the eye of a high school friend he hadn’t interacted with in two decades.
In April 2024, Stephen Register, 42, received a stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis after losing his appetite and shedding 15 pounds in just a month, as reported by SWNS.
Doctors informed the former MLB pitcher, who played for the Colorado Rockies in 2008 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009, that a liver transplant might be his best path to survival.
“At our first meeting with the doctors, they told me I had a year to live—maybe a year and a half,” Register shared, noting that he and his wife, Beth, promptly began exploring options.
The couple relocated from Auburn, Alabama, to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. There, according to SWNS, he underwent surgery for a temporary ostomy bag and started chemotherapy.
The plan for liver resection was scrapped when doctors found the tumor was too large, prompting the couple to think about a transplant.
To find living liver donors, Register’s wife created a Facebook group in the hope of someone stepping forward in time.
Unexpected volunteers
Christine Johnston, a 40-year-old kindergarten teacher from Roswell, Georgia, recognized Register’s name from high school and saw the post.
The two had first met in 1999 at Shaw High School in Columbus, Georgia, but hadn’t talked in over 20 years.
“It was just far from the field on the left,” Register recalled. When Johnston offered to donate a portion of her liver, he was taken aback.
He mentioned to SWNS, “I hadn’t seen or spoken to her in such a long time. It felt really unexpected for her to reach out like that.”
Johnston shared that she began her search for liver donations online and quickly determined compatibility based on blood types.
“I just texted him,” she said. “I asked, ‘What’s your blood type?’ and he replied, ‘I’m positive.’
She responded, “Wait, that’s mine too,” and offered, “If I’m a match, I’d be glad to donate.”
Eventually, she was confirmed as a match, delivering the good news on a significant day.
“I got the news on Good Friday, and they officially cleared me as a donor for his liver,” she said.
Surgery and second chance
As reported by SWNS, the surgery is expected to take 12 to 14 hours and involves removing 70% of Johnston’s liver to transplant it into Register.
Both the part she donates and her remaining liver will regenerate, giving her a fresh start in health.
“For her, she’s essentially giving him the gift of life, and for him, this journey marks a new beginning,” Beth Register noted.
Register expressed hope, saying, “If they take out the liver with the tumors and cancer, I believe I won’t have cancer from there.”
The Register family, including their children Mackenzie (16), Blakeley (14), and Brooks (8), has launched a support fundraiser to help with travel, food, and medical costs.
Johnston and her husband Cody, 38, also have three kids: Sawyer (9), Teddy (7), and Dahlia (4).
Increase awareness and faith
Beth Register hopes their family’s story will highlight the importance of living organ donation.
She emphasized Johnston’s selflessness from the very start.
The family believes fate played a role in reconnecting them all.
“We pray that God opens the right doors and that Christine is the perfect donor for him,” Beth Register said.
“We’re so thankful she’s willing to pause her life to extend his for many more years.”
