LIVER TRANSPLANT Recipient celebrates recovery

She has received the gift of life.
WARREN -- Sister Debbie Barker, with her friends and family, held a "celebration of life" Sunday afternoon at Northbury Colony Community Clubhouse.
It was one year ago this month that Sister Debbie, 47, a Warren native, received a liver transplant at University Hospitals near Cleveland.
Lives in Parma
She has been with the order of Humility of Mary since 1977, and lives in Parma. She also is a volunteer tutor for the & quot;English is a Second Language & quot; Able Reading Program at Valley Forge High School in Parma.
Sunday's gathering of about 50 family and friends at the clubhouse was arranged by Sister Debbie and friends to celebrate her milestone and to foster organ donation awareness.
The message that Sister Debbie gives to people is that healthy organs, eyes, bone and tissue can be used by so many people that need them to live.
"People can continue to give no matter what their age, sex or overall health situation is," she noted. "Without this transplant, this party would not be happening."
Gift of life
She said the gift of life is the greatest gift one human can give to another, and she urges the public to check & quot;yes & quot; as an organ donor on their driver's license.
Sister Debbie was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver in 1999. After a five-year battle, she was told she'd need a liver transplant.
Dr. Peter Erossy, who attended the celebration, helped her to get on a liver transplant list, and the operation was performed within six months at University Hospitals. The donor remains anonymous.
She was in the hospital for one month and a nursing home for two months. She is under the care of a liver specialist and must take anti-rejection medication on a daily basis for the rest of her life.
She also wanted to thank her support caregiver, Sister Kathleen Lackamp, who was there during the wait for the transplant. She said that caregiver role is vital to keep spirits raised.
Raffles raised funds
Fifteen raffles were held during Sunday's celebration, and the proceeds will be split between Cleveland-based LifeBanc and the University Hospital of Cleveland's transplant unit.
There are more than 90,000 men, women and children in the United States awaiting a organ transplant, and more than 1,300 are in Northeast Ohio.
People can sign up on the Ohio Donor Registry at a local Bureau of Motor Vehicles when renewing or obtaining a license, or by calling (888) 745-1511, and LifeBanc (organ and tissue donation) at (888) 558-LIFE.