Abbotsford Police Chief Mike Serr is recovering well after donating 67 per cent of his liver to his brother over a month ago.
Serr said he is now back to work after the surgery on March 3 and is feeling good.
“The first three weeks post-surgery were challenging but it was to be expected. I was able to get out for walks every day and just had to manage being tired and sore,” he said.
Serr said his younger brother David – who goes by DJ – has a longer recovery period and will be off work for at least three months.
He said it’s still too early for DJ to see significant changes, but “he is a fighter and I know he will fully bounce back.”
DJ, who works in sales for a pharmaceutical company, lives in Ottawa with his wife and two sons, ages 12 and 10.
He was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in his early 20s. Serr said doctors are not entirely sure what contributed to DJ’s failing liver, but they believe his anatomy impeded blood flow to the organ.
The family was advised that an immediate family member would be the best option for a liver donation.
Serr was the best candidate based on his age and health, and he didn’t hesitate to step forward.
“It is what we do for family. My brother had struggled with his health, and knowing that I could give him a new lease on life made the decision easy,” he said.
“My brother takes good care of himself and has a young family, and it was important to me that he be given every opportunity to be healthy for himself and his family.”
The pair had to go through multiple rounds of testing – including blood work, imaging, and psychological assessments – to ensure they were a match.
Serr said, once the match was confirmed, he had no reservations about proceeding, although he was understandably “nervous and scared.”
The procedure took place at Toronto General Hospital, and Serr said it was “a lengthy and complicated surgery” for both of them.
Serr’s procedure began at around 8 a.m. and ended at about 5 p.m. DJ’s took place from about 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Serr said the process was stressful not just for the two of them, but for everyone in their family.
Serr’s liver is expected to fully regrow in six to eight weeks. As DJ’s recovery continues, he is expected to gain more energy, clearer cognitive functioning and, of course, better overall health.
Serr said whatever discomfort he had to endure was all worth it.
“DJ’s youngest son came up to me after the surgery and thanked me for ‘saving his dad’s life.’ That hit home and put this all into perspective for me,” he said.
“I was healthy and grateful I could do this for him and give him a chance to have quality time with his beautiful family.”
Serr urges others to consider becoming an organ donor by registering online at transplant.bc.ca
He will drop the puck – and be honoured as a community hero – at the Abbotsford Canucks game against the Ontario Reign on Friday, April 7 at 7 p.m. at Abbotsford Centre.
The game coincides with Green Shirt Day, which supports organ donor awareness and registration across Canada in honour of former Humboldt Broncos defenceman Logan Boulet, whose organs were donated to six people when he died.
RELATED: Two-time organ recipient designs Green Shirt Day logo 5 years after bus crash
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