KMOV: Organ Donation Gives Local Man a Second Chance at Life

After two decades of heart issues and months in the hospital, Joseph Wright received a rare heart-liver transplant at Barnes-Jewish Hospital that saved his life.

1 minute Joseph Wright with wife and Dr. Shilling

After suffering from heart issues for more than two decades, sudden cardiac arrest landed Joseph Wright in the hospital, where he learned he would need a heart transplant.

Joseph was added to the list of more than 100,000 people on the national transplant waiting list. As he waited for a donor match and and to be healthy enough to undergo a transplant, his other organs began to fail, and doctors determined he would need both a heart and a liver.

In September, he received the ultimate gift through a rare heart-liver transplant, with the help of his care team, including Dr. Joel Schilling, a WashU cardiologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

KMOV talked with Joseph, his wife, and Dr. Schilling about the importance of organ donation and Joseph's journey back to health.