Nebraska resident Mark Weinman, left, donated part of his liver to Edward Rice of Penn Township when Edward's wife, Sandy, posted information about his need on Facebook. The procedure was conducted in July through UPMC.

It's the season of giving, and some gifts mean more than others.

For Edward and Sandy Rice of Penn Township, a gift from a stranger meant the world. The stranger was Mark Weinman from Hastings, Neb. The gift was a piece of his liver.

“There's people out there who are ... willing to help,” said Edward Rice, who received the liver transplant through UPMC in July.

“The end result is just so wonderful,” Sandy Rice said.

The Rices were living in Florida around 2016 when Edward was diagnosed with liver disease.

While medical professionals in Florida told Edward he should get on the transplant list for a new liver, he simultaneously was told he wouldn't be approved to receive one. The Rices were told their best bet was to move back to Pennsylvania, where they would have access to the UPMC transplant system. They did just that in 2018.

“We were on the list,” Sandy said. “(But) it was going to be a while before he could get a cadaver (liver).”

“There's just not enough livers,” said Dr. Abhinav Humar, chief of transplantation for UPMC. “The need is actually increasing.”

According to Humar, that increase has to do with medical advancements. Health care professionals are discovering many conditions can be treated with a liver transplant.

Getting on the list for a deceased donor liver isn't always easy. The sicker a patient is, the higher the priority they're allocated.

This means a person can be sick enough to need a new liver, but not sick enough to get one quickly. Not all patients in need of a liver qualify for a deceased donor transplant.

“If you have a living donor, obviously those rules don't apply,” Humar said. “It's a big ask of anyone.”

Weinman said it wasn't difficult for him to make the decision to donate part of his liver.“I was raised to help others out any way I can,” he said. “I would do it again, if I could.”Sandy said the Rices and Weinman found each other through the Facebook group Organ Transplant Living Donor Awareness Group. This forum connects donors and patients in hopes of getting people the help they need.“It's really hard to ask somebody, 'Can I have your liver?'” Sandy said.“I couldn't do that,” Edward said.In the end, the Rices didn't have to. Sandy posted a description of Ed's needs in the Facebook group on a Wednesday. On that Friday, Weinman got in touch.As Weinman's donor information already was processed, they scheduled the transplant for July 13.The fact that a donor from Nebraska was willing to help a patient from Pennsylvania didn't surprise Humar.He said the interconnectivity of today's world through social media provides people with resources that previously didn't exist.In the long run, Humar said that's good news for transplant patients.“It's a very small world now,” Humar said. “There are many people who are willing to step forward.”Edward said when he heard that Weinman would be a good match, the reality of the situation hit him.“The nerves kicked in,” Edward said. “Before that, I was pretty calm.”The procedure went well, according to both the Rices and Weinman. Edward said he left the hospital faster than initially expected.Although it will take about a year for his liver to fully regenerate, Edward said he's able to do things he couldn't a year ago, such as hunting, fishing and yard work.“I just had no energy to do anything,” Edward said. “I feel so much better.”

Humar said his department at UPMC has conducted 54 deceased and 84 living donor liver transplants this year.Humar believes the key to successfully pairing more patients with livers from living donors lies in education.Although medicine is changing all the time, Humar said teaching people about the living donor process is the best way to recruit potential donors.“You just have to tell people the truth,” Humar said. “Most people don't know that this is part of the mainstream.”The Rices and Weinman have stayed in touch since the surgery. Weinman said he likes this area so much, he hopes one day to move to Western Pennsylvania.The Rices said they've been spreading the word about living donors. Specifically, they want people to know searching for a living donor doesn't mean begging for one.“You're not begging anybody,” Edward said. “More people should consider it.”“I can't say enough for the living donors,” Sandy said. “I try to do what I can to support (them).”Weinman can't give any more organs as a living donor, but he's registered as an organ donor on his driver's license.He said he encourages people to get in contact with their nearest transplant center to learn about the process. Weinman's experience with the Rices has left him eager to continue helping.“Everybody's story's always different,” Weinman said. “Now, we're all part of the (same) family.”