Lucy McGovern, a 21-year-old student from Seattle, Washington, came to Rome in January to study abroad at John Cabot University. Shortly after arriving in Italy, she began feeling constantly tired but assumed it was simply due to being far from home.
During a weekend trip to Budapest, her condition worsened: she felt extremely weak and noticed that her skin and eyes had turned yellow. She contacted MedinAction, a medical service that JCU partners with to offer students English-speaking doctors for house calls and online consultations. She was advised to go to a hospital to have blood tests done. Given the alarming results of the blood tests, Dr. Andrea Guerriero, co-founder of MedinAction and JCU's on-call medical advisor, urged Lucy to return immediately to Rome while her family flew from Seattle to join her.
In Rome, Lucy was first treated at Salvator Mundi International Hospital, where hematologist Dr. Valerio Giannelli diagnosed her with Wilson's disease, a rare genetic disorder that had caused sudden, severe liver failure. Her only chance of survival was an urgent liver transplant.
Lucy was then transferred to San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital. Within a few days, a donor organ became available, and she underwent a successful transplant performed by Dr. Giuseppe Maria Ettorre, Director of General Surgery and Organ Transplants. Lucy is deeply grateful to the anonymous donor from Sassari (Sardinia) whose liver saved her life and hopes one day to visit the city to express her thanks: “I would like this family to know that I am grateful and moved, and I feel extremely fortunate to have received this new chance in life.” Her family also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the hospital staff who cared for her throughout the ordeal.
Says JCU President Franco Pavoncello, “John Cabot University has written a unique chapter in student care and support. Infinite thanks to our great Dr. Andrea Guerriero, to the San Camillo team led by Dr. Ettorre, and to Dr. Giannelli of the Salvator Mundi Hospital.”
