After receiving a lifesaving liver transplant, Juan Sanchez was inspired to come to work at Mayo Clinic. Now he's pursuing opportunities he never imagined. Read his story.

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"Your liver is failing."

The words brought an answer to unusual symptoms for Juan Sanchez, but they also hit hard and brought a new reality.

The symptoms began in September 2021.

"I remember feeling extremely fatigued, but I brushed that off for a while," Juan says. "Then I started coughing up blood, having bloody stools, and my eyes were yellowing."

Juan decided to see a doctor at a nearby hospital. He was told that his liver was failing and that he should seek treatment at Mayo Clinic.

During Juan's initial visit to Mayo Clinic, doctors informed him that he may need a transplant in the future. For the near term, they would start by monitoring his condition.

The future suddenly becomes now

Soon after doctors began monitoring Juan's condition, he got very ill and headed to the Emergency Room. His condition had deteriorated more rapidly than the care team expected.

"While I was in the Emergency Room, my heart stopped beating for about a minute," Juan recalls.

 At that point, the doctors determined Juan's situation was more dire — he needed a transplant immediately. Juan was added to the transplant list. Within a couple of days, he had a match and underwent surgery.

I've never experienced, in my entire life, such a great team and supportive management.

Juan Sanchez

Juan's surgery was complicated. He had to go back in a couple of times to control the bleeding. But when it was over, he was full of gratitude for his care team.

"When I finally came out of surgery, I just remember the great care I was given," Juan says. "I was quite taken aback by how well the nurses and doctors worked together to form a plan for my aftercare."

Life after transplant

Juan spent the weeks following his transplant recovering and adjusting to life changes, such as monitoring his diet and taking extra precautions when going places as an immunocompromised person.

When Juan was cleared to return to work after his transplant, he knew exactly where he wanted to apply. After Mayo Clinic gave him a second chance at life, he couldn't imagine working elsewhere.

Juan was hired as a desk operations specialist in April 2022. His medical journey was not over, however.

Shortly after Juan's start date, his body began rejecting his new liver, and he had to take off work for a few weeks for treatment and recovery.

"My co-workers were so understanding and supportive, even though I was brand-new to my role at Mayo Clinic," Juan recalls. "I've never experienced, in my entire life, such a great team and supportive management."

Juan recently celebrated his one-year anniversary working at Mayo Clinic and says his management has encouraged him to pursue opportunities he never imagined.

"I never thought at my age, 49, I would go back to school for my bachelor's degree," he says. "But I am."

Juan plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in healthcare administration and continue to serve Mayo Clinic — the organization that saved his life.