Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Transplant Services >
  • ... >
  • Liver Transplant >
  • Patient Stories >
  • Mark Logoyda Sr and Mark Logoyda Jr
Transplant Services
About Us
Heart Transplant
Intestinal Transplant
Kidney Transplant
Liver Transplant
Who is a Candidate?
Transplant Process
Evaluation Clinics
Living-Donor Liver Transplant
Your Transplant Team
Patient Stories
Contact Us
Lung Transplant
Pancreas Transplant
Multi-Organ Transplant
Patient Resources
Pediatric Transplant
Referring a Patient
Become a Living Donor
Your Transplant Team
Request an Appointment
Transplant Services
About Us
Heart Transplant
Intestinal Transplant
Kidney Transplant
Liver Transplant
Who is a Candidate?
Transplant Process
Evaluation Clinics
Living-Donor Liver Transplant
Your Transplant Team
Patient Stories
Contact Us
Lung Transplant
Pancreas Transplant
Multi-Organ Transplant
Patient Resources
Pediatric Transplant
Referring a Patient
Become a Living Donor
Your Transplant Team
Request an Appointment

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Mark Logoyda Sr and Mark Logoyda Jr: Living-Donor Liver Transplant Patient Story

Mark and Mark Lagoyda

The Challenge: Nonalcoholic Cirrhosis

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a metallurgy engineering degree, Mark Sr. worked for four decades in the steel industry as an operations manager. In 2016, he knew something wasn’t right with his body. First, he developed a kidney stone that he couldn’t pass, then he developed a urinary tract infection and sepsis.

“I had a pretty aggressive disorder and I ended up needing to take antibiotics continuously for 44 straight days,” says Mark Sr., 61. “My body started to react to the medicine. I just didn’t feel right.”

The liver performs more than 500 functions and is one of the most vital organs because it purifies the body of toxins and germs. But too much damage over too many years can result in scarring, or fibrosis, that prevents the liver from working. In 2017, Mark was diagnosed with nonalcoholic cirrhosis of the liver: a transplant was his only option.

“Either the disease or the antibiotic — or both — damaged my liver. I lived, but it meant my liver wasn’t the same. It continued to deteriorate,” says Mark Sr.

The Path to UPMC’s Liver Transplant Program

With more than 14,000 Americans on the waiting list for a liver transplant — and only about 5,000 deceased-donor livers available for transplant — patients often wait years for an organ to become available.

Knowing he didn’t have years to wait for a liver from a deceased donor, Mark turned to UPMC for a second opinion. By then, his MELD (model for end-stage liver disease) score had risen steadily from the teens and into the 20s. The MELD score is a number that estimates the severity of your illness, with 40 being the most severe. It is calculated from the results of your pre-transplant evaluation.

“Once you reach a MELD score of 25, you need to be thinking about a transplant. My score was at 27,” says Mark.

Mark met with a transplant hepatologist with UPMC Transplant Services, who recommended a living-donor liver transplant.

The Solution: A Living Donor Transplant

Mark’s son, Mark Jr., was in North Dakota working on a drilling site for a fracking company when he got a phone call from his parents. After they explained the situation and how a living-donor liver transplant worked, Mark Jr. didn’t hesitate. “It was a no brainer,” he says. “I just wanted to help.”

The 24-year-old immediately returned home to southwestern Pennsylvania. He underwent a living donor evaluation to ensure he was a match and both physically and mentally prepared for the procedure.

“They literally test you for everything to make sure you’re healthy and a good candidate,” says Mark Jr.

“I didn’t worry too much about becoming a living donor. I wanted to do it — he’s my dad. And after coming down to UPMC to do the tests and seeing how much they care, I felt like I was in good hands.”

During a living-donor liver transplant, a piece of a healthy liver is removed from the donor and transplanted into the recipient to replace the failing liver. The procedure is possible because of the liver’s unique ability to regenerate.

Mark Jr. proved to be a perfect match. Surgery took place on Jan. 17, 2019.

“I can’t say enough good things about the care I received at UPMC,” says Mark Sr. “As an engineer, I could see the incredible planning and teamwork behind the transplant process. It runs like a fine-tuned watch.”

The Results: Back to Work and a Wedding Celebration

Today, both men have recovered from surgery and are doing well. The elder Mark returned to work after eight weeks. Mark Jr. was back on the job two weeks after surgery and is now living and working back in western Pennsylvania.

In October 2019, the whole family celebrated when Mark Jr. got married.

“Getting married after all this made it really special,” says Mark Jr. “My dad was there, and he was healthy. He was totally different from the man he was the year before. It was an amazing day for us all.”

“I’ve come to appreciate life a lot more. I learned there’s more to it than just work,” says Mark Sr. “My son giving me part of his liver — it was a lifesaver. I stared at death and my boy saved my life. I gave him life when he was born and he returned it. What a gift.”

Mark Sr.’s and Mark Jr.’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login