You always have to have patience. You always have to show love, and you have to persevere in life. Live donors must also undergo medical screening to rule out problems like heart disease, lung disease, or alcohol abuse. Doctors also take images of the donor's liver to see if the blood vessel arrangement resembles the recipient's. And there is psychological testing and counseling to make sure the donor is emotionally prepared for the risks involved in making such a gift.
Liver transplants with live donors cost nearly a half-million dollars.
So far though, most medical insurers have picked up the tab. The liver is the largest internal organ, weighing as much as four pounds.