When Mary Ann Eggleston was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), she told her husband Don that she hoped to see her boys, ages 2 and 3, make it to kindergarten. Her case seemed dire; suffering from severe internal bleeding, she had been transported to the hospital via helicopter, Don recalls.
PBC is a chronic autoimmune disease that slowly destroys the liver’s bile ducts, causing cirrhosis of the liver and eventually organ failure. Although there is currently no cure, liver damage and its symptoms can be slowed and managed with medication and other treatments.
Mary Ann’s diagnosis was nearly three decades ago, so she has far exceeded her goal at the time; today, her sons are 30 and 32. The successful management of her disease is in no small part thanks to the care she’s received the past 15 years at the Saint Louis University Liver Center. One of the leading liver disease research and treatment centers in the U.S., the center works to improve patient outcomes and discover new treatments and cures. Its current research efforts include clinical trials evaluating patients with fatty liver disease, which is estimated to affect one third of the U.S. population, says Dr. Bruce Bacon, one of the center’s researchers and a renowned hepatologist. The center also has completed several trials evaluating new treatments for PBC.
When treating a condition as complex as liver disease, the specialized care offered by the SLU Liver Center is essential, Bacon says. “It takes special expertise to understand all of the nuances and complications that can occur and how to best manage them,” he notes. Mary Ann is proof of this: As a patient of the SLU Liver Center, she has decreased her daily medications from six to two and continues to see positive results from treatment. “Dr. Bacon is a remarkable physician,” Don says. “He listens and offers opportunities for us to ask questions, and the entire staff at the center always treats Mary Ann with respect.”
The Friends of the Saint Louis University Liver Center is a steadfast ally in the center’s mission and has raised more than $4.2 million in its history. In addition to supporting the center’s research, the nonprofit also works to raise understanding and awareness of liver disease, which impacts thousands each year. “The liver specialists at SLU are delighted to have the Friends’ support, and we’re indebted to them for their work to make the world a better place,” Bacon says.
On Nov. 3, the Friends group hosts its 16th annual Diamonds Gala at The Ritz-Carlton. Themed Puttin’ on the Ritz, the cocktail reception, dinner and live auction will feature KSDK’s Rene Knott as emcee. Don Eggleston will speak on his experiences witnessing Mary Ann go through diagnosis and treatment of PBC.
“I have so much gratitude for what the liver center has done for Mary Ann and the level of health she’s been able to achieve,” he says. “We’re well aware that not everybody gets to have the results she has had medically. It could have been far more devastating, but she’s been able to live very well as a mom, wife and nurse. We invite everyone to join us at the Diamonds Gala.”
Friends of the SLU Liver Center hosts the 16th Annual Diamonds Gala, a benefit to raise funds for liver disease research, Nov. 3 at The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis. This year’s theme is Puttin’ on the Ritz; KSDK’s Rene Knott is emcee. Pictured on the cover: Dr. Bruce Bacon, Mary Ann and Don Eggleston. For more information, call 314.576.3078 or email lduff@friendsoftheslulc.org.
Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo by Bill Barrett
Pictured above: Patient Mary Ann Eggleston with Dr. Bruce Bacon.
