Rare triple organ transplant done on MN man in Rochester, family hopes to inspire organ donation

(KSTP) – A man from the Twin Cities metro area is recovering in Rochester after being a part of Mayo Clinic’s 15th-ever triple organ transplant. 

After three open heart surgeries before the age of 16 and after later getting diagnosed with polycystic kidney failure, Mike Loven now has a new kidney, heart, and lungs, receiving the triple organ transplant in early October. 

“I already feel better than I did a month ago, two months ago,” Loven said about his successful operations. 

Spending his days at the Gift of Life Transplant House, on Monday, he walked his first mile on the treadmill, well on his road to recovery. 

“Tiring, felt great, but it was tiring. My legs were jello,” Loven said with a smile and laugh about his walk. 

As mentioned, Mayo Clinic as a whole has only ever done 15 triple organ transplants — 12 of those in Rochester — but, as of August 2023, according to Mayo Clinic, fewer than 50 have been done in the U.S. since 1989.

“It was a very, very, you know, difficult case,” Dr. Mauricio Villavicencio, Rochester Mayo Clinic’s surgical director for its Heart and Lung Transplant Program, said about Loven. 

“This opens a very huge door for them, you know, to prolong their life and, you know, have good quality of life and live in the society,” Dr. Villavicencio said of Loven, and the others in the future who will benefit from what they learned from Loven’s case and operations. 

The Loven family wanted to thank the Mayo Clinic, the Gift of Life Transplant House, and the community for the support they’ve received — you can support the family and follow Mike’s journey on their fundraising page.

They are also very grateful for the person whose organs Mike received — they’re hoping Mike’s story will inspire people to become an organ donor if they’re not already. 

“We were very blessed that one person gave this gift to him,” Lisa Loven, Mike’s wife, said. 

The therapy team is hoping Mike can make it home by December 30; he’s pushing to get there before Christmas to make sure he can be home with his two daughters. 

“I miss my girls. Can’t wait to get home to see my girls,” Mike said.