Senators owner Melnyk in 'urgent need' of liver transplant
Eugene Melnyk has been battling serious health issues for months.
The Ottawa Senators owner has been suffering from a liver-related ailment that will require a transplant, the club said in a statement Thursday.
Melnyk was notably absent during the Senators' recent playoff run.
From the statement:
Melnyk was admitted to hospital three weeks ago as a result of the onset of liver-related complications. He has undergone a comprehensive medical assessment and it has been determined that Mr. Melnyk is in urgent need of a liver transplant.
Mr. Melnyk's family has actively reached out to his close friends and broader family with the hope of identifying someone who could be a "live liver donor." This process involves the removal of a portion of the living donor's liver so it can be transplanted into the recipient patient.
"Eugene Melnyk was admitted to Toronto General Hospital three weeks ago due to liver-related complications," team president Cyril Leeder said in a press conference.
"He is in urgent need of a liver transplant ... Time is of the essence ... Please keep Senators owner Eugene Melnyk in your thoughts and prayers."
"This is life threatening without a new liver," says Leeder. #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) May 14, 2015
The club said Melnyk has been seriously ill since mid-January. The family found several donor candidates, but none were deemed suitable.
Looking for a donor who is a healthy adult 18 to 55. #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) May 14, 2015
Cyril Leeder just said that if people wait for a week or two to see if they are a suitable donor, it will be too late for Melnyk.
— Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes) May 14, 2015
The 55-year-old purchased the Senators in 2003, rescuing them from bankruptcy.