Ian and Harold Kaplan have a very special relationship. In 1979, Harold gave his son life, and 20 years later he had the opportunity to do the same once again. In 1999, Harold became the second living related liver donor in Ohio. Harold was given the opportunity to give his son, Ian, a very special gift--a future.

1996 was not an easy year for Ian. It was his senior year of high school. However, his thoughts were not occupied by the typical concerns of a 16-year-old. 

Ian was beginning to experience extreme fatigue and abdominal pains. At first, Ian and his doctors believed it was only an ulcer, but soon his condition worsened.

In January, Ian became very ill and was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), a disease that causes the ducts inside and outside the liver to narrow, resulting in inflammation, scarring and eventually cirrhosis of the liver. Then, in April, he was diagnosed with diabetes. Unfortunately, Ian was not through. A month later, doctors informed him that he had Crohns disease, an inflammatory bowel disease, which causes inflammation of the intestines.

The next few years were not easy on Ian and his family. "Ian's quality of life was very bad," his father recalls. "He was miserable. He was itching so bad that his legs were rubbed raw, and he couldn't go to work or school."

One night, the Kaplans got a call from Ian's doctor. "I was worried the doctor had bad news," Harold remembers. "Why else would the doctor call at 8:30 in the evening?"

However, Ian's luck was turning around. Dr. Douglas Hanto had just completed his first living related liver transplant and thought Ian would be a good candidate for the procedure. After numerous tests, the doctors determined that Ian and Harold were a match. " I was really excited, because I was feeling really terrible at the time about the prospect that my life might end," Ian recalls.

On October 4, 1999, the liver transplant was successfully performed at The University Hospital. Ian's father returned home two weeks after the transplant. Ian had a small episode of rejection, but it was taken care of immediately. A week later, he had to undergo one more surgery, which was more painful than the first, to re-graft an artery. However, less than three weeks later, Ian returned home.

Harold says he is grateful for the opportunity to help, and is thankful for Dr. Hanto and the medical advances available. He now speaks to try to encourage others to donate. "Donating is fantastic. It empowers you," Harold says. "It allows you to help and not sit and watch on the sidelines. Otherwise, you just wait and wait. now Ian has a future."

After the experience, Ian says he holds life with more regard. "It is more precious to me now, especially given the alternative," he says. "Things that are important to most 21-year-olds don't concern me. It was a very maturing experience."

Six months after his surgery, Ian was still regaining his strength, but he had returned to work and had moved into his own place. He now enjoys his music and playing in his band. Ian gives a few words of wisdom to future transplant recipients. "You will feel a lot worse before you feel better," he comments. "I had forgotten what it was like to feel healthy!"