(MIDDLETOWN, NJ) – As the nation prepares to honor those who have served this Veteran’s Day, Middletown resident Ron Walsh is celebrating a deeply personal milestone: the fifth anniversary of the liver transplant that gave him a second chance at life.
A former Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired PSE&G executive, Walsh has faced serious health challenges throughout his life. Five years after his transplant, he remains grateful for the opportunity to spend more time with the people he loves and honor the organ donor who made that possible.
Walsh is sharing his story as a volunteer for NJ Sharing Network to raise awareness about the lifesaving power of organ and tissue donation and transplantation while also reflecting on his military service and the journey that brought him to this important milestone.
“Every day is a blessing and a new chance to enjoy life,” said Walsh. “I owe my organ donor and my family so much.”
Walsh’s health issues began years before his transplant. After being diagnosed with diabetes, his health gradually worsened, and a biopsy eventually revealed that he had developed cirrhosis of the liver. In 2019, Walsh received another devastating diagnosis when doctors discovered a cancerous tumor on his liver. Despite medical treatment, his health continued to decline.
“In 2020, I began to get confused, I had slurred speech, and I was basically unable to function,” said Walsh. “My liver was failing.”
Although initially hesitant about undergoing major surgery, Walsh ultimately followed his doctors’ recommendation to be placed on the waiting list for a liver transplant. The months that followed tested his patience and determination. During the summer of 2021, Walsh received six calls to prepare for a possible liver transplant. Each time, the transplant ultimately did not move forward. Then, on August 23, 2021, Walsh received another call. This time, his transplant surgery was officially moving forward.
“Right before surgery, I remember whispering to the doctor, ‘Please do your very best – my wife Jean and I have planned for a long life together,’” said Walsh.
The surgery was a success. Just six days later, Walsh was able to leave the hospital and begin his recovery.
Over the past five years, Walsh has embraced his second chance at life by giving back to veterans and others in his community. He volunteers with the American Legion and the New Jersey Marine Corps League, helping fellow veterans better understand and access benefits available through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He also volunteers with Middletown Helps Its Own, which provides food and other services to local residents, and 180 Turning Lives Around, a local organization that supports survivors of domestic abuse.
For Walsh, these efforts are one way to honor the generosity of the person who gave him a new opportunity to live.
“I was told my donor was a woman,” said Walsh. “I believe she must have been an Olympian, because I have more energy now than ever. Since my transplanted organ was donated to me, this is one way I can give back. I help families and women in her honor.”
For Walsh, Veteran’s Day also provides an opportunity to reflect on his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, including 30 months stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
“Once you’re a Marine, you’re always a Marine,” said Walsh. “I fly the American and Marine Corps flags proudly every day, and I’m honored to have served. Despite the challenges I faced with the water issues at Camp Lejeune, my time in the Marine Corps served me well.”
Walsh said his experiences have also strengthened his commitment to help fellow veterans learn about benefits they may be eligible to receive. One such encounter involved an 80-year-old Navy veteran who had served during the Vietnam War and did not realize he might qualify for VA benefits. Walsh helped guide him through the application process and drove him to his intake appointment at a VA center. The veteran ultimately qualified for VA healthcare and received hearing aids that helped restore his confidence.
“I especially feel honored when total strangers ask me about my service,” said Walsh. “The decals on my car have provided many opportunities to speak with other veterans from all branches of the military. We may have never met before, but there is a bond and an esprit de corps. Many of those conversations lead to opportunities for me to tell veterans about benefits they may not even realize are available to them.”
As he celebrates the fifth anniversary of his transplant, Walsh hopes his story will encourage others to consider the powerful impact of registering as an organ and tissue donor.
“My organ donor lives on in me,” said Walsh. “I honor my donor’s memory every day by finding ways to help others. I tell everyone that the easiest way to become a superhero is with the click of a mouse by registering as an organ and tissue donor. You can save a mom, dad, brother, sister, cousin, grandparent – anyone.”
According to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), more than 100,000 Americans – including more than 3,000 New Jersey residents – are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, while one tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 75 people.
To learn more or to register as an organ and tissue donor, visit NJ Sharing Network’s website at www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
PHOTO CAPTION #1 – Ron Walsh of Middletown recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of his lifesaving liver transplant, grateful for the organ donor who gave him a second chance at life. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)
PHOTO CAPTION #2 – ARCHIVE PHOTO FROM 1975: Ron Walsh proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps. The Middletown resident and former Marine Sergeant recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of his lifesaving liver transplant. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)
PHOTO CAPTION #3 – Ron Walsh and his wife, Jean Marie Cadorette, recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of Ron’s lifesaving liver transplant and the gift of more time together. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)