Chicago City Wire

When Lukas Borland underwent a liver transplant at UI Health, he found his life changing in unexpected ways. One of the first signs was being able to enjoy foods he had avoided for years due to his medical condition.

“It sounds simple, but I hadn’t eaten fast food like that in years,” Lukas said. “I wouldn’t have dared touch anything deep fried before the surgery, but now it didn’t upset my stomach at all — and it tasted great!”

Lukas was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare genetic disorder that blocks bile from reaching the gallbladder and small intestine, causing damage to the liver. After his diagnosis at age 16, Lukas faced regular monitoring and treatment. Over time, symptoms such as gastrointestinal discomfort and fatigue became part of his daily life.

“It’s difficult as a parent, because you see your child not being able to have the same experiences as other people his age,” said Brenda Durbin, Lukas’s mother. “You don’t expect your 25-year-old son to say he’s going to bed at 8 pm.”

By late 2024, Lukas’s quality of life declined even though his MELD score—a standard measure of liver health—remained stable. His doctors told him that because PSC progresses slowly and he was young, he likely would not qualify for a deceased donor transplant soon.

Lukas’s best option became living organ donation. He began working with Dr. Mario Spaggiari, liver transplant surgeon and surgical director of UI Health’s Liver Transplant Program, along with liver transplant coordinator Lisa Mariano at the UI Health Transplant Outreach Clinic at OSF Healthcare’s Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

“In the last decade, UI Health has become a critical referral center for patients across the Midwest in need of robotic organ transplantation,” said Dr. Spaggiari. “As one of the few academic medical centers in the nation capable of performing these surgeries, we can take on cases like Lukas’s without hesitation.”

After discussing his situation with family, Lukas quickly found a willing donor: his sister Rachel.

“It was a scary thing for me to hear about my brother — that he’d need a new liver — but I work in live TV, so those unpredictable, high-stress situations are my bread and butter,” Rachel said. “After I had that momentary freak-out, it was like, ‘Ok, well, what’s the next step? How can we figure this out fast?’"

Rachel traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago for evaluation by UI Health’s Liver Transplant team. Testing confirmed she was a suitable match.

Three months later, both siblings returned to Chicago for robotic right hepatectomies—a procedure that uses advanced technology to remove and transplant part of the donor's liver while reducing scarring and recovery time compared to open surgery.

Rachel was discharged within days after surgery; her liver regenerated fully within a month. Lukas continues recovering but now looks forward to improved health.

“I had been tired for such a long time, so I’m excited to see my energy and my stamina coming back,” Lukas said. “I already know the next time I visit Rachel, LA will be so much more fun than before.”