Ski Racer needs a liver....help get the word out...

[RiverToysJas]

I'm passing this word along from an old river friend of mine, who is also a ski racer. His cousin and fellow ski-racer is fighting liver desease, and needs a new liver, badly. Lets all keep him in our prayers, and pass the word along. Below is the email I got from my buddy, and link to his cousin's website....
"Hey all, I just wanted to get this out there as you may or may not know my cousin Mike McGookin has been fighting a liver disease for sometime. This is the reason he had to drop out of the sport he loved to do, ski racing. I for one miss having him at the races! Any way I just wanted to get this out there to help in any way I can. If you visit the web site and read below you will see what he has been going through and another way to possibly get a liver sooner for him. In hopes of helping him find a liver wanted to get this out to as many people as possible. I would appreciate it if you took the time to check out the site, read about my cousin and forward this to any and all you know and if you feel like sign the guest book he likes to hear from everybody.
Thank you in advance!
Gery
His website address is http://www.caringbridge.com/visit/mikemcgookin
Please keep in mind that he can receive a liver from someone who has been a designated donor. If you know someone or someone you know, knows someone, that has had a tragic accident and is capable of being a donor, the family can designate the liver to go to Mike. The donor has to be an "O" blood type. The liver would go straight to Mike and save his life. UCLA has let us know they will have it shipped from out of state. Please tell your friends and family this. I feel the more people that know this, the better our chances are of having Mike healthy again soon. Thank you."
RTJas

[markc]

Were all pulling for you Mike, hang in there brother!!

[RiverToysJas]

Bump.... ;)
RTJas :D

[MRS FLYIN VEE]

thoughts and prayers on the way and also keeping an eye and ear out for a donor.. Maybe you should sticky this to the top Jason.. :smile:

[RiverToysJas]

thoughts and prayers on the way and also keeping an eye and ear out for a donor.. Maybe you should sticky this to the top Jason.. :smile:
Thanks.....I forgot, I can do that now. ;)
RTJas :D

[OGShocker]

Mike is a great guy and so are you Jason.
MarkC and I pulled Mike on a practice run to Catalina. We were in a 22' daycruiser running around 45 MPH average. I looked back and in all that mess I could see Mike back there with this big grin enjoying the moment. We are thinking of you and your family Mike.
MarkB

[Mrs. HOOTER SLED]

He is in our prayers......we'll keep our eyes open..........

[catalinaskiracer]

Mike, You hang in there this is your year! I feel it! To Jason, that posted my cousins web site and to all who have responded, I thank you!! It means alot to Mike, he is one of kind! To all please pass the word, visit the site, sign the guest book he loves to hear form and about all! Again thanks for all the support and take care! With God's grace Mike and I will be skiing the Catalina ski race very soon!
Thank you all!
Gery S.

[RiverToysJas]

Mike, You hang in there this is your year! I feel it! To Jason, that posted my cousins web site and to all who have responded, I thank you!! It means alot to Mike, he is one of kind! To all please pass the word, visit the site, sign the guest book he loves to hear form and about all! Again thanks for all the support and take care! With God's grace Mike and I will be skiing the Catalina ski race very soon!
Thank you all!
Gery S.
No thanks needed Gery, I am glad to help in any way I can. If not for my first invite to the river from you, some 15 years ago, I might not even be boating today. If not for the deal you gave me, I wouldn't have been able to buy a house at 22yo either. I appreciated that stuff then, and I still appreciate it today. I owe you a lot Gery, so thank you!
Now lets all help Mike get better, and have a big party out at the river again ..... like old times!!! :crossx:
RTJas :D

[craiginlaverne]

i grew up with mike here in la verne. hes a good dad and hard worker. i know, i worked for performance transport for a short time. i heard he was sick from brian (KSH marine) i didnt know he was that sick. my family and i will pray for him and i hope he gets a liver soon.

[pixilatedpussy]

Any news yet???
Prayers are with him! :smile:

[RiverToysJas]

Gery should be checking in with an update on how Mike has been doing. Perhaps we can get Mike himself to pop in and say hello!
RTJas :D

[catalinaskiracer]

To all, thanks for all the support for my cousin! It really means alot to me and him! Unfortunatly there is no news yet but hopefully soon. I encourge all to visit the site and sign the guest book he likes to hear from everyone! He's one of kind! The site is also updated by his wife fairly often or when ever there is any news. Again thank you all and you'll be seeing Mike and I skiing across Havasue soon.
Gery...

[bgchuby01]

I pulled Mike behind my 38 Sea Ray (BGCHUBY) in the Catallina Ski Race three years ago, him and his family are wonderful people. He skied behind my boat even though he was already sick. We even got a trohpy for the race. With a Liver transplant is it not true that you only have to donate a small portion of your liver and it grows larger on your own? I don't know what my blood type is but if this is so and I match I would help him today.

[catalinaskiracer]

Bgchuby, that is true in alot of cases but unfortunatlly not so for Mike, he needs a complete transplant. That's I'm spreading the word with all of your help. If you go to the web site http://www.caringbridge.com/visit/mikemcgookin it will give the information about designated donors. So it's all about spreading the word right now! Thanks in advance for your help and hope to see you at Catalina next year, it wasn't the same with out the Big Chubby out there. Hopefully you'll have Mike behind your!
Gery

[Phat Matt]

Wow. Good luck in your search.
On a side note, I would look out for the livers from the people on this board. They get a little abused. :2purples:
:)

[pixilatedpussy]

Any news??????? :clover:

[catalinaskiracer]

Hey all, my cousin and I thank you for all your prayers and support! It really means alot to him! Unfortunatally I don't have a good update, he is doing good but still no donner! Also with UCI liver transplant center closing throws another rench in the works! As all the transplant patients on thier list will have to be moved to other centers potentially moving him farther down. He will get his liver! this I know, he is incrediable person! With our help and support it will happen! As always I ask you all to visit his site, sign his guest book! Even though you don't know him I guerentee if you did you would never forget him!!
Take Care all and if you need to contact me directly you can reach mr at gsinnott@insyncla.com

[catalinaskiracer]

Hey all, once again I want to thank you on my cousins behalf for all the support! It really meand alot to myself and especially him! Unfortunatlly there has been no head way! Which really SUCKS! I wish I had better news, I wish, pray and hope with all my heart that he gets what he needs soon! I ask everyone please forward his site to all you know, tell them what is going on. We need to get the word out there to as many people as possible! Tell them to forward it to all they know! As always I ask you all to visit the web site, sign his guest book, he loves to hear from everyone! Also everyone can find out updates on my cousin there.
Thanks again to all! Spread the word!
Gery

[catalinaskiracer]

Hey all! I know it's been a while scince you have heard an update on my cousin and while his site was up I want to thank all who offered their thaughts and prayers for him and his family. I don't know if you have been keeping up with him on his web site, http://www.caringbridge.com/visit/mikemcgookin
but here it is....He and and his family have moved to Utah, temporarally, about 2 months ago, this put him very high uo on the liver transplant list at LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
8th Ave and C Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84143
United States
there has been a few struggles, one is that Kaiser, his hospital here and California based has declined both appeals on behalf of the family to cover my cousins surgery in Utah. My cousin and family opted to go anyway...the surgery alone will cost the them $150,000 that doesn't include hospital time, drugs etc. so you can only imagine! Last, 2/24/06 my cousin was had to be air lifted form were he was staying in Utah to LDS due to internal bleeding and other compications. The good news is he is stabble today and is what they call a "code red' which means the next available liver will be his! It is now just a waiting game. I just wanted to update you all because when I first posted this everyone was so responsive! and to all that went on the site and dropped him a note THANK YOU! it really means alot to him! I have also put out a groupe e-mail if any one would like to donate anything to help him and his family, I, as would them, apprieciate it. As of now the family has to pay for this out of thier own pocket due to the Kaiser declining 2 appiels because the opted to go out of state to better his chancs. You got to love buracracey! If anyone would like to make any kind of donation you can send it to 1555 mesa verde east #44B Costa Mesa, Ca. 92626, in care of Mike McGookin. Again I thank you all and if at best you just vist the site above and drop him a line that would mean the alot to both him and I! Thank you all for your support!
GeryS.