Senators owner Eugene Melnyk needs liver transplant

In what is a sad and concerning story, the news broke on Friday that Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is in need of a liver transplant to survive, according to an announcement from the team. Melnyk, 55, was put into the hospital three weeks ago with liver issues and has been fighting health problems related to this since January.

"“Mr. Melnyk’s family has actively reached out to his close friends and broader family with the hope of identifying someone who could be a ‘live liver donor,'” the Senators said in a statement. “This process involves the removal of a portion of the living donor’s liver so it can be transplanted into the recipient patient.“The Melnyk family’s efforts have yielded a number of potential donor candidates who have been extensively tested. These efforts continue in earnest but have so far not yielded a suitable donor.”"

Fans of the team and across the globe are now being asked to help out Melnyk. There is plenty of information on the team’s website for anyone interested in donating. The donor should be a male, between the ages of 18 and 55, and something who obviously is in good health themselves. A liver donor gives up part of their liver to the person receiving the transplant, allowing both to live without complication if everything goes correctly. Most donors walk away unscathed, per Dr. Atul Humar, medical direction of the UHN in Toronto. From the ESPN article:

"“To date, over 600 live liver donor transplants have been performed at the University Health Network,” Humar said. “All donors have returned to normal lives with no restrictions.”"

Melnyk has owned the Senators since 2003, and has seen the team enjoy sustained success, including one trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. The franchise has recently dealt with tragedy, seeing assistant coach Mark Reeds pass away from cancer last month while general manager Bryan Murray battles colon cancer.

Hopefully, both Melnyk and Murray can pull through.