Darin "Doogie" Weiks Is Thankful For A Much Awaited Liver Transplant

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Updated: 10:41 PM Nov 25, 2009 Darin "Doogie" Weiks Is Thankful For A Much Awaited Liver Transplant A young teen from Athens has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, after receiving a liver transplant. Posted: 5:53 PM Nov 25, 2009 Reporter: Julia Fello Email Address: jfello@wsaw.com

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A young teen from Athens has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, after receiving a liver transplant.

Darin "Doogie" Weiks was living with a rare liver disorder until three weeks ago, when doctors found a donor match.

We followed him last year, when he had the chance to play with his classmates in a high school football game.

A dream he never thought could happen, because of his condition.

Doogie says he feels like he's won the lottery.

He was born with Glycogen Storage Disease, which means his liver is missing enzymes to store fat and sugar, causing it to enlarge.

Last year, doctors found multiple tumors on his liver.

He was placed on a transplant list at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.

This October, Doogie was then placed on another transplant list at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Two and a half weeks later, doctors found a match.

"Relieving. I never thought he day would come because every day is like is it going to be today, and when the day finally came, I was pretty excited," says Doogie.

Doogie showed us his scar today.

His doctors have been impressed with how fast he's been recovering from the transplant surgery.

Before Doogie had to watch his sugar and fat intake, but now can eat whatever he wants.

He says the things he's enjoyed eating the most with his new liver, are spicy buffalo wild wings.

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