South Ogden man fights for second chance through liver and bone marrow donations

SOUTH OGDEN — Quinn Schiffman was young, healthy and active when he learned his liver was struggling.

"I had just high liver enzymes kind of went from there," Schiffman said.

It wasn't until several doctors later that he learned why his liver was on its way to failing.

"This is my fifth liver doctor," Schiffman explained. "He's like, 'This is what's going on. I think it's your autoimmune is attacking the liver.' And that's exactly what it came down to."

Schiffman is only 26 years old. He kept in shape through working out and boxing. But a rare autoimmune condition, known as Common Variable Immunodeficiency, or CVID, was at the root of his problems. In a whirlwind recovery, he went from being added to the waiting list for a liver in early May, to getting a transplant just a few weeks later. Knowing very little about the donor, he said he's grateful, but also sorry for what the donor's family must have been going through.

"I was able to receive this lifesaving gift," Schiffman said. "You have to be really grateful on one side, but you also have to mourn that side of things too, and it really made me passionate about organ transplant too and how important it is."

In the wake of his recovery, however, Schiffman now faces an urgent need for a bone marrow transplant, which will help fight the CVID. Thankfully, his younger sister Lacey is a match, and she's preparing to help him with the operation after she returns from a summer internship out east.

"That's kind of neat that she's going to be able to save his life in a whole other direction," Quinn's mother, Melissa Schiffman, said.

Recovery from the procedure can be painful for donors, but Schiffman and their mother said Lacey is being brave and willing. While Quinn said he won't be able to box again, he's grateful for life, along with his sister and the stranger who are making it possible for him to survive.

"It has its days, but, you know, overall positive," Schiffman said of his recovery. "I'm feeling great. I'm looking forward to the future."

His mother added, "We understand every day is a gift."

Schiffman's extended family has started a *fundraiser to help cover some of the costs from the transplants, which they said have been quite high.

"It's one thing to tackle the expenses from a liver transplant. And then to know that you're going to be tacking on that additional expense for the bone marrow," Melissa Schiffman explained.

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