Prosecutor needs 4 organ transplants to save life

John Sellars has already changed his diet, taken medicine, and had a shunt implanted to re-route blood between his liver and his heart.

More drastic measures will be needed to save the assistant district attorney general, who prosecutes cases in Sevier, Grainger, Cocke, and Jefferson counties.

One doctor recommended a liver transplant, but another expert decided that wasn't enough.

"My health is just really deteriorating," Sellars said.

He is used to battles in the courtroom, but Sellars now faces the battle for his own life. He will need a new liver, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine to win this fight.

"That was what he said I needed," he said. "Not the stop-gap means that have been tried before, or even just a simple liver transplant."

A blood disorder called Factor V Leiden has damaged his organs.

He'll move from Sevier County to Pittsburgh next week, to wait for an organ donor to become available.

"It is the solution," Sellars said. "After I have the multi-organ transplant, then I should be able to lead a normal life."

He plans to continue to work on his Sevier County court cases long-distance from his new temporary home in Pittsburgh, using the Internet and fax machines.

Attorneys, friends, and even strangers are helping him cope, "offering words of support, offering their prayers, and just telling me that they understand what I'm going through," he said.

He's a man facing a multi-organ transplant, yet he said he's lucky.

"I'm very lucky that my family is there to help me through the whole process."

His mother will move with her son to care for him during his anticipated year-long recovery.

"My mom is basically dropping everything that she has here, in order to move to Pittsburgh to help support me," he said.

His sister is organizing a benefit dinner and auction on February 28th at Main Stay Suites in Pigeon Forge.

The fundraiser from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. will feature a live and silent auction with donated items.

"Everybody's been great. Everybody has been great," said his sister, Connie Cupp. "I don't think we have had anybody not to do anything that we asked. The whole community has been wonderful."

After the transplant, John Sellars faces a lifetime of taking medicine.

"That will be a small price to pay to be able to have a normal life."

He hopes for a normal life back here in East Tennessee.

You can find more information on the benefit here, and you can find more information on Factor V Leiden here.