Unexpected Connection Leads to Lifesaving Donation
A man’s Facebook request for liver donors unexpectedly caught the attention of a high school friend he hadn’t spoken to in two decades.
In April 2024, 42-year-old Stephen Register was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer after experiencing significant weight loss and a lack of appetite. The former MLB pitcher, who had played for the Colorado Rockies in 2008 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009, was told by doctors that a liver transplant was his best shot at surviving the illness.
Register recalled, “When we first met with the doctors, they gave me a year to live, maybe a year and a half.” He and his wife, Beth, quickly started exploring treatment options.
The couple relocated from Auburn, Alabama, to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, where he underwent surgery for a temporary ostomy bag and started chemotherapy. Plans for a liver resection were later scrapped when doctors found the tumor was too large, prompting them to shift their focus to a transplant.
In an effort to find a living donor, Register’s wife created a Facebook group, hoping someone might step up in time.
A Surprising Offer
Christine Johnston, a kindergarten teacher from Roswell, Georgia, stumbled across the Facebook post and recognized Register as a former classmate from high school. They had shared classes back in 1999 at Shaw High School in Columbus, Georgia, but hadn’t kept in touch since.
To Register’s shock, Johnston volunteered to donate part of her liver. “I couldn’t believe it,” he reflected, “It was surreal for her to reach out like that after all those years.”
Upon learning about the donation process, Johnston said, “I just texted him,” asking about his blood type. She was thrilled to find out they matched, and she offered, “If I were a match, I would be happy to donate.” She was eventually cleared as a donor on Good Friday, a day that held significant meaning for her.
Life-Changing Surgery
The surgery, which is expected to last 12 to 14 hours, will involve removing 70% of Johnston’s liver and transplanting it into Register. Fortunately, both parts of the liver can regenerate, giving Johnston a chance for recovery while saving Register’s life.
“For her, it’s a gift of life— for him, it’s a new beginning,” Beth Register commented. “Hopefully, after the transplant, he won’t have to deal with cancer again.”
The Register family, including their three children, has organized a fundraiser to help with travel, medical, and living expenses. Meanwhile, Johnston and her family are equally invested in the journey ahead.
Raising Awareness
Beth Register expressed a desire for their story to inspire others regarding the importance of living organ donation. “People often don’t realize that donating a liver or a kidney is an option,” she noted, emphasizing the selflessness that Johnston displayed from the start.
The family feels that fate has guided their paths to reconnect in such a significant way. “We pray that God has all the right doors open, and that Christine is the perfect donor for him,” Beth added.
