Bergen Man Celebrates 1 Year Since Life-Saving Liver Transplant

OLD TAPPAN, NJ — A Bergen County man is celebrating a year after his life-saving liver transplant.

Bob Scozzafava, 65, of Old Tappan said he is feeling great and recently celebrated 40 years of marriage to his wife, Valerie. His liver transplant was Feb. 28, 2021.

“Every day is a blessing thanks to the generosity of my organ donor hero,” said Scozzafava in a news release provided by New Jersey Sharing Network. “My health had reached a point where doctors told me ‘if you don’t get a transplant, you are going to die.’ Today, I feel great, and I am enjoying every moment with my family and loved ones.”

In 2018, Scozzafava learned he had cirrhosis of the liver and enlarged veins in his esophagus. He was placed on liver transplant lists in the northeast and Florida.

He and Valerie were in Florida when they got the call a liver was available at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville on Feb. 27, 2021.

“Prior to my transplant, I was suffering a great deal. I had extremely painful cramps in my legs from my ankles up to my thighs,” he said.“After my transplant, it was wild! All my leg cramps were completely gone immediately, and I have never had them since. My transplant proved to be a perfect match.”

Scozzafava said he has power walked 300 miles in his first year post-transplant. He is also a volunteer for NJ Sharing Network, which works to connect organ and tissue donors to those waiting for a transplant.

Scozzafava wrote a letter of thanks to his donor's family. The donor was a mother of four, and her husband wrote back to express his gratitude.

My goal is to share my story with others to get more people to register as donors and also help boost the morale of those on the waiting list for transplant,” said Scozzafava. “Volunteering for NJ Sharing Network is also another way for me to honor the memory of my donor hero.”