Delaware County woman desperately searching for liver donor for husband

A retired teacher who has given so much to his community is now asking for some help for himself. He needs someone to step up and save his life.

"It was a great, great job," said 70-year-old Ron Romoff. He’s blessed to have retired from a career he loved. He taught at Central High in Philly and graduated from that same school. 

"Actually I had one student who called me because he is teaching and he wanted some insight so that was good," said Ron.

After decades of a life dedicated to helping others, Ron himself is now in need of help. Of a different kind. 

"Scary because it will progress," he said. Ron is talking about the auto-immune disease doctors diagnosed him with 10 years ago called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. His liver is progressively failing to the point he and his wife say he needs a new one. 

"The person who donates will grow back the piece that they donate and I will grow a liver," he said. His wife Joyce says she’s watched the man she describes as her best friend deteriorate. 

"It inflames your bile ducts, scar the bile ducts, block the bile ducts in which case your liver dies and then you die," she said. "A doctor has said he’s got about a 50% chance to make it to 73."

Ron is on a waiting list for a cadaver donor but Joyce says because of his age and failing health a living donor is best. 

"Then he can get the transplant when he is still healthy enough to take it," said Joyce. Ron hopes to someday get back his quality of life. He wants to travel to Israel and he's a musician playing the saxophone. Joyce says she won't stop advocating until they find a donor. 

"I want my husband. I love my husband," she said. 

If you're interested in being a liver donor, please contact joyceromoff@yahoo.com. For more information on this rare liver disease, click here.

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