Last Updated: December 11. 2010 1:00AM RoNeisha Mullen / The Detroit News

Detroit — Heather Erickson and Robert Cross were strangers just a few months ago. neither knew the other existed. after a few months of phone conversations, tests, screening and a surgery, the two now are more like family.

“We’re a part of each other,” said Erickson, 25, of Royal Oak. “He was a great person to do this for me.”

What Cross did was give half of his liver to Erickson last month.

Cross, 45, became an organ donor after learning of Erickson’s story from his wife, who read about the Rochester resident on a blog run by Erickson’s mother.

Erickson and Cross teamed up again Thursday at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit to encourage others to become organ donors.

“For young people, it’s off their radar. They’re not thinking about it,” Erickson said. “So, I’m trying to make people aware through my story.

“Sign up to be a donor. Donate blood, or whatever you can do.”

Seven years ago, Erickson was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a progressive illness caused by chronic inflammation. The disease destroys the bile ducts of the liver, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.

Symptoms of the potentially fatal disease include jaundice, fatigue and loss of sleep.

Erickson’s parents, 25 family members and friends offered to donate their livers, but none were matches.

Cross learned of Erickson’s plight when his wife, Kayren, read about it in an interior design blog written by Cathy Erickson, Heather’s mother.

“When (Kayren) wrote me, I said this is it,” Cathy Erickson said. “I knew it was going to be the one.”

Marwan Abouljoud, director of the Transplant Institute at the hospital, performed Cross’s surgery. He said it’s unusual that family members aren’t a donor match.

“Sometimes we go through seven or eight people in a family before we find a match.” About 5 percent to 10 percent of liver transplant patients need a second transplant, Abouljoud said.

Recovery time is about three months, he said. At that time, the liver should be between 70 percent and 90 percent restored.

So far, Heather and Robert are recovering well, Abouljoud said.

According to Gift of Life, the state’s organ and tissue donation program, an average of 17 Michigan residents receive an organ transplant each week.

For Cross, who spent 20 years in the military, the decision was about more than helping Heather Erickson. It was personal.

Cross, of Washington Township, has twin daughters, one of whom became ill as an infant and almost needed a liver transplant. His mother is on a kidney transplant waiting list in Arkansas.

“When something like this happens, you put aside your fears about the risk involved,” Cross said. “When you have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life … it’s amazing.”

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