Ronald from Five Days Inside died a week after transplant

Ronald suffers from chronic inflammation of the liver. He was able to live with this when he was young, but recently his health has deteriorated. He doesn’t have much energy, he suffers from fluid in his stomach and he gets out of breath quickly. Recently, doctors advised him that it was time to think about a liver transplant. He may be able to find a match within his family or circle of friends.

The daughter Sanne knew immediately that she wanted to give part of her liver to her father. Ronald and his wife Karin agreed at first. “We both said, ‘No, you’re not going to do that.’ We have one daughter and you’re not going to do things like that with her.” But Sanne stood her ground and when it turned out that it was a game, Ronald and Karin changed the way.

Eddy follows Sanne and Ronald on the day the transplant takes place. Sanne says she is completely ready for the job. She had no doubts about the transplant. “I thought from moment one: now I can finally do something, so I’m going to do it.” She hasn’t drunk a drop of alcohol in ten months gone, until her liver is in good condition.

Then it’s time for Sanne and Ronald to go under the knife. Sanne’s surgery goes according to plan, but Ronald’s problems arise during the transplant. Eddy then decides to leave the operating room. Later he hears that Ronald is in intensive care. His new liver is working, but not doing well.

At the end of the episode it turns out that Ronald was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer during the transplant. This was not seen on previous pre-operative scans. Since Ronald was still not conscious and therefore did not know himself, his wife Karin preferred to keep this to herself when Eddy was there. Later she told this in a conversation with Eddy. Ronald died a week after the transplant.