Receiving the Gift of Life - County Line Magazine

Receiving
the Gift of
Life
as told by Kirk and Shannon Franz
photography by Mark Najjar Atlanta Studios
Imagine that your life was in the hands of a stranger. And your only chance of surviving
would be determined by a single decision of someone you will never meet.
Kirk Franz, who has lived in the Johns Creek/South Forsyth community since 2000, experienced
this very situation three years ago when he received a health diagnosis that
turned his world upside down.
In early 2009, after a routine blood test, Kirk discovered that he had extremely high
cholesterol levels. Addressing the problem, Kirk went on a strict diet and exercised
regularly to get his levels down. After a few months and more blood tests, Kirk lowered
his cholesterol levels dramatically, impressing his doctor and remedying the issue….. or
so he thought.
After successfully completing his first half-marathon and running his fourth Peachtree
Road Race, Kirk started itching intensely all over his body. With no rash, he had no idea
what was causing the unbearable itching. Following more blood tests, an MRI, a CT scan
and an ultra sound, Kirk was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), a
disease that causes chronic blockage of the bile ducts in the liver. PSC is a progressive
disease that can lead to Bile Duct Cancer and eventually results in liver failure. The only
real cure for PSC is a liver transplant.
17 CountyLine |August 2013