When Mike Logue and Meredith Borrelli met earlier this year, they found they had a lot in common. Each had received a life-saving liver transplant at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital—just a week apart. And both are giving back to express their deep appreciation for their donors and health care providers.

“I feel like I have a new lease on life since my transplant,” said Meredith, 54. “The gratitude you feel for someone who chose to be a donor is so huge. People like me wouldn’t be here today without people like her.”

Mike credits Virtua’s staff with helping him cope with the uncertainty of waiting for a new liver and keeping him as healthy as possible, despite his grave condition.  

“I owe a debt of gratitude to Virtua that I could never repay,” said the attorney, who now volunteers for transplant-related causes. “I want to try to effectuate change in my little corner of the world. It’s part of my pledge to my donor’s family.”

Meredith and Mike received their new organs in May 2025, both performed by transplant surgeon Ely Sebastian, MD, FACS. In January, the two connected through a Facebook group for liver transplant patients and supporters, and quickly became friends.

From critically ill to playing sports

This June, the pair competed together at the Transplant Games of America, held in Denver. The event allows transplant recipients to showcase their wellness and honor their living donors and the families of deceased donors.

Meredith and Mike were part of Team Liberty, representing New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. The pals competed in bowling, corn hole, and trivia contests.

Although they didn’t win any medals, “it’s about the fact that you can do it, not winning or losing,” said Meredith. “It was very inspiring to see people competing and doing really well.”

After returning home, Mike was “still on an emotional high,” he said. “Competing in the Transplant Games was a goal of mine after transplant, and I accomplished it.”

Overcoming alcohol dependence

The liver removes waste from the body. If it has too much alcohol to process, it cannot function properly, leading to the buildup of fats, inflammation, scarring (cirrhosis), and eventually, liver failure.

“Drinking is a very common cause of liver disease, sadly,” said Hisham ElGenaidi, MD, Meredith’s transplant hepatologist. “The less alcohol a person consumes, the better.”

Virtua’s staff works to remove the stigma associated with liver problems, noted Simona Rossi, MD, Mike’s transplant hepatologist. “Our goal is to make sure our patients know this isn’t something they did to themselves,” she said. “Alcoholism, drug addiction, and obesity are diseases.”

For Mike, 57, lingering injuries from a car accident combined with work-related stress and pandemic isolation fueled his heavy drinking.

In fall 2023, Mike began having abdominal and leg pain, and trouble breathing and walking. At Christmas dinner that year, the father of two suddenly couldn’t get up from the table. His family rushed him to Virtua Marlton Hospital.

The team stabilized Mike, who then received treatment for his alcohol addiction. Still, his health deteriorated over the next year—and Virtua Advanced Transplant & Organ Health placed him on the waiting list for a new liver. He was repeatedly hospitalized at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes, and became bed-bound and depressed. 

“I was ready to give up,” Mike recalled. “Dr. ElGenaidi, Dr. Nyan Latt, and other staff convinced me to hold on.” After about five months, he received a new liver. Virtua also provided treatment for his depression, before and after the transplant.

Today, the Mount Laurel resident attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. “I haven’t had a drop of alcohol since Christmas 2023,” he said. “I’ve learned healthy ways to cope with challenges.”

‘Everything fell into place’

For Meredith, a chain of traumatic events, including her father’s death and the destruction of her mother’s home, led to alcohol dependence.

One day, the South Orange resident noticed the whites of her eyes looked yellow, or jaundiced, which can indicate liver problems. Feeling like she’d caught a cold, she saw her primary care provider, who prescribed blood tests. The next morning, Meredith had pain in her abdomen, and her doctor told her to go to the emergency room. 

There, at a North Jersey hospital, Meredith learned she had end-stage liver disease.

“I was told I had about two months to live,” recalled Meredith. “I had stopped drinking the day I noticed the jaundice. But that wasn’t long enough to qualify for a transplant at a nearby hospital.”

Two days later, Meredith transferred to Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes, one of only two hospitals in New Jersey performing liver transplants.

“That was the best thing that could have possibly happened to me,” she said. “The care I got at Virtua was phenomenal. It felt like everything fell into place.”

Just 32 days later, Meredith received a new liver.

Healing and giving back

Today, Mike and Meredith are doing well. Physical therapy helped them regain their strength and abilities to do daily tasks. They also receive ongoing medical and emotional support from Virtua’s transplant team.

“We’re here for our patients for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Rossi. “They continue to see every member of the transplant team, from their surgeon to their social worker. We monitor their lab work and how they’re doing.”

Although he still has physical limitations, Mike enjoys hiking and being active. He volunteers for several organizations like NJ Sharing Network and the New Jersey Air Victory Museum in Lumberton.

“I have a very good life,” said Mike. “It’s not perfect, but I’m finally able to be the person I want to be.”

Meredith continues to rebuild her stamina. The former gemologist changed careers during the pandemic, becoming a provider of Reiki and sound healing.

“My lab results have been great,” said Meredith “I’ve been diligent about everything, taking my pills and following all the rules.”

“There’s life after a liver transplant,” noted Dr. ElGenaidi. “Many patients go back to work after six to 12 months. I have patients who are runners and weightlifters, who can usually return to those activities after a year.”

Still, transplant patients must take medication indefinitely to prevent their bodies from rejecting the new organ.

“I’ve been very lucky,” said Meredith. “Every moment feels like a gift, even if I’m dealing with medication side effects.”

A priceless treasure

The Transplant Games enabled Meredith and Mike to share their appreciation and spread awareness of the importance of organ donation. More than 100,000 people nationwide are currently waiting for an organ transplant.

“I’m not an athletic person. I’m horrible at all sports!” Meredith joked. “The Games are about building community and honoring the people who gave you a second chance at life.”

This spring, she met her donor’s parents for the first time. “It was incredibly emotional,” Meredith recalled tearfully. “We’re like family now. I’m carrying around a piece of their daughter.’”

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