KNOCKING Update January 2010
www.knocking.org
KNOCKING SUBJECT NEEDS SECOND BLOODLESS LIVER TRANSPLANT
Seth Thomas, the young man whose "bloodless" liver transplant was featured in the documentary film KNOCKING, must receive another organ. The disease that compromised Seth's original liver has resurfaced and is now attacking the new liver he received in KNOCKING.
As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, Seth refuses blood transfusions because of his religious beliefs. KNOCKING followed Seth and his family as they sought a hospital in their home state of Texas willing to treat him without using blood. Medical centers from Dallas to Houston turned him down, saying a bloodless operation would be too risky. Then Seth found the Transfusion-Free Program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, which accepted his case.
Today, Seth faces the same hurdles finding a willing hospital and USC has again agreed to take his case. Now Seth must find a matching liver from the organ donor registry. Last time, Seth's father gave half of his own liver to his son. But this time Seth does not have the option of using his father's liver. As Seth waits for a new liver, he continues to be treated by Dr. Jason Edling, who appeared in KNOCKING.
Seth was married in Septemer 2006 to Nina, his girlfriend featured in KNOCKING. They are expecting their first child in June. Seth continues to play guitar with his friends, as he did in the film, though Nina reports he still needs more practice. Seth's sister Jen (who was interviewed in KNOCKING) and her husband Mike Jenkins (who appeared in the hockey scene) are both Jehovah's Witnesses who graduated from the Gilead School and are now serving as missionaries in Bulgaria.
If you would like to send a note of encouragement to Seth and his family, *do not* reply to this message. Please send your note to the following email address:
[email protected]
Seth and his family will be able to read your messages there.
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I got this in an newletter from the movie Knocking. This young man's body has destroyed two livers and their going to look for another to give him that seems medically unsound thinking to me. But that is my opinion but the young man is going to have to face death eventually but know he wants to be there for his coming baby. Sad situation for that family.
Ruth