Oxford Priest Receives Life-Changing Gift

OXFORD, CT — An Oxford priest says the prayers of his parish and an extraordinary family gift have given him a new chance at life.

Father Joshua Wilbur, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, received a liver transplant Aug. 7 at Yale New Haven Hospital, according to a report by the Archdiocese of Hartford. Wilbur said he was doing "remarkably well" and hoped to return home soon.

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Wilbur had been waiting for a donor since being placed on Yale New Haven Hospital's transplant list in March. He was facing a critical autoimmune liver condition and had been receiving blood transfusions every four to five weeks, the Archdiocese reported.

Doctors had estimated he had one or two years to live without a liver donation, according to the report.

Wilbur had expected to receive part of a liver through a living donor and believed he would have time to plan for surgery. Instead, he learned Aug. 6 that a matching organ had become available.

The liver came from a distant family member who had recently died — the wife of his mother's cousin. The donor and her immediate family had designated Wilbur as the recipient, and the liver was transported from a Maine hospital to Yale New Haven Hospital.

Wilbur asked the community to keep the donor's family in its prayers as he begins what is expected to be several months of recovery. He said he looks forward to returning to his parish duties when he is able.

This story is based on reporting by Karen A. Avitabile for the Archdiocese of Hartford.

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