Mandy Patinkin: Corneal transplant
Mandy Patinkin, known for his roles in TV shows like ‘Homeland’ and ‘Criminal Minds,’ and movies like ‘The Princess Bride’, suffered from keratoconus. This condition caused his right cornea to become thinner and protrude in a cone shape, leading to vision problems. After living with it for over a decade, he got a corneal transplant in 1997.
These celebrities managed to survive thanks to organ transplants
Story by Zeleb.es •now
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Sarah Hyland: Double kidney transplant
While celebrities are often shielded in a cloak of glamour, they are mere mortals with serious health problems too. Take ‘Modern Family’ actress Sarah Hyland, for example. She had renal dysplasia, causing her enormous pain. In 2012, her body even rejected a kidney donated by her father, so she had to undergo another transplant, this time with a kidney from her brother. Amid the 15 surgeries she’s undergone, she’s also dealt with suicidal thoughts.
These celebrities managed to survive thanks to organ transplants
These celebrities managed to survive thanks to organ transplants
Mandy Patinkin: Corneal transplant
Mandy Patinkin, known for his roles in TV shows like ‘Homeland’ and ‘Criminal Minds,’ and movies like ‘The Princess Bride’, suffered from keratoconus. This condition caused his right cornea to become thinner and protrude in a cone shape, leading to vision problems. After living with it for over a decade, he got a corneal transplant in 1997.
Lucy Davis: Kidney transplant
Lucy Davis, the British actress known to many for her roles in hit shows like ‘The Office (UK)’ and ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,’ has a remarkable personal story that few may know. During a routine medical check-up, she was diagnosed with kidney failure, ultimately requiring a life-saving kidney transplant in 1997.
Dick Cheney: Heart transplant
As emphasized in the movie ‘Vice,’ George Bush’s right-hand man from 2001 to 2009 needed a heart transplant in March 2012. The Republican politician had suffered at least five heart attacks since 1978 but he’s still alive today, age 82.
Selena Gomez: Kidney transplant
Selena Gomez said on a recent episode of ‘Dear…’ that she’s forever grateful to her best friend Francia Raisa for donating one of her kidneys. Gomez had lupus and said she was “terrified for my life completely.”
Tracy Morgan: Kidney transplant
SNL and ’30 Rock’ star Tracy Morgan also underwent a kidney transplant after he said he went years without taking his diabetes seriously. In December 2011, he received the organ from his then-girlfriend Tanisha, but they broke up shortly after.
George Lopez: Kidney transplant
In 2005, actor and comedian George Lopez underwent a kidney transplant due to advanced kidney disease, possibly caused by a genetic disorder that produced cysts. He was only diagnosed in 2004 and says he had been ignoring signs of poor health for years. His wife, Ann Serrano Lopez, donated her kidney.
Alonzo Mourning: Kidney transplant
Alonzo Mourning, one of the NBA’s top centers, was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a serious kidney disease. In 2003, he underwent a kidney transplant and had the organ donated to him by his estranged cousin Jason Cooper, who he hadn’t seen in 25 years.
Amy Purdy: Kidney transplant
Amy Purdy, a Paralympic athlete from the United States, nearly lost her life to meningitis. While she ultimately survived, the disease resulted in the amputation of both her legs and a kidney transplant that was donated by her father.
Sean Elliott: Kidney transplant
Fellow NBA player Sean Elliot had the same medical condition as Mourning and also needed a kidney transplant. He was diagnosed with the degenerative disease in 1994 and eventually got a replacement kidney from his brother Noe
Grizz Chapman: Kidney transplant
Crizz Chapman, best known for his role as Grizz in the NBC series ’30 Rock,’ underwent a kidney transplant in July 2010. The actor had been suffering from significant hypertension and had been on dialysis prior to the transplant.
Salvador Sobral: Heart transplant
Salvador Sobral, the Portuguese singer who won the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest with his song ‘Amar pelos dois,’ successfully underwent a heart transplant at Santa Cruz Hospital in Lisbon the same year. Sobral had been connected to an artificial heart for three months due to a heart condition that prevented him from pumping blood effectively.
Éric Abidal: A controverisal liver transplant
Eric Abidal, a French soccer player, underwent a liver transplant in 2012 while playing for Barcelona due to a relapse of a cancerous tumor that had been removed in 2011. His supposed cousin and donor was Gerard Arman. However, Spanish authorities are investigating what happened, as they suspect Arman is not a relative and was instead paid for his organ, which is illegal.
José Luis Rodríguez, El Puma: Double lung transplant
Venezuelan singer José Luis Rodríguez, known as ‘El Puma,’ underwent a double lung transplant at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis that he had been battling since 2000.