Utah Man Denied New Lungs Due to Marijuana Use Dies After Philly Transplant
By Dan Stamm ••
A man who was denied a lung transplant at the University of Utah because marijuana was found in his system has died after suffering complications from recent surgery in Philadelphia.
Reports say 20-year-old Riley Hancey of Park City died Saturday from complications with his double lung transplant at the University of Pennsylvania hospital.
Hancey was admitted to the University of Utah hospital in December, diagnosed with pneumonia and put on life support two weeks later. He was denied a transplant in early April after marijuana was found in his system.
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Lehigh Valley Health Network
For many year, Mary Clancey has tried to lose weight. She would try dieting and exercising, but only get bigger over time. At that point, the Saint Clair woman believed she was destined to be a "short, fat, round, little old lady," she said.
Lehigh Valley Health Network
At 365 pounds, Clancey could barely walk or, even sometimes, get out of bed. In fact, as a result of the excess weight, blood clots developed in her legs.
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So, she went to Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest last November to get tests done for her blood clots, but little did she know doctors would discover a huge surprise.
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Clancey was shocked to find out that a tumor had been gradually growing inside of her for about 16 years. "The first thing I thought was Sigourney Weaver with the Alien," she jokingly said. "I was so scared."
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Doctors at the Allentown hospital were surprised to find the 140-pound ovarian cyst as well, and planned to remove massive tumor.
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“The mass was so big it didn’t even fit in the frame of the scanner,” said Doctor Richard Boulay, who was assigned the task of removing the tumor.
Lehigh Valley Health Network
The 5-hour operation required two tables:one for Clancey and another for the tumor. Along with the 140-pound mass, doctors removed 40 pounds of extra skin. After the surgey, Clancey stayed at the hospital for 25 days for recovery.
Lehigh Valley Health Network
180 pounds lighter, Clancey feels more confident than ever.
Lehigh Valley Health Network
“I was going to be a short, fat, round, little old lady before, so you never know -- I might just turn into a voluptuous babe,” she joked.
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The 71-year-old, however, feels displeased that her old "beautiful" clothes -- sized at 3X-Large -- do not fit her anymore. "It's hard for me to part with the nice clothes I've bought," she said.
University of Utah Medical Center says it doesn't transplant organs for people with active alcohol, tobacco or illicit drug use.
The University of Pennsylvania added Hancey to its transplant list in March and moved him to Philadelphia. He received the double lung transplant March 29.
