Family says they weren’t notified when transplant program was suspended: ‘We trusted the doctors’

On Thursday, a judge will weigh whether to grant court orders requested by families of patients who passed away while awaiting liver transplants against Dr. J. Steve Bynon, a transplant surgeon at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Bynon is under investigation for his role in overseeing the hospital’s liver and kidney transplant programs, both of which were recently halted due to reported irregularities in donor and recipient listings.

Despite repeated attempts to contact Dr. Bynon, there has been no response from him. Several families are seeking restraining orders to prevent Bynon from tampering with potential evidence relevant to future legal actions against him.

These families, who have suffered the loss of loved ones while waiting for transplants, are questioning the fairness of the process and express frustration at not hearing from investigators or hospital authorities about their concerns.

Niemma Mostacci speaks on behalf of her late father, Richard Mostacci, highlighting his life and the hopes he had for a transplant. Similarly, Susie Garza, Richard Mostacci’s mother, expresses trust in the medical professionals who cared for her son.

Another family, that of Robert Osuna, recounts the heartbreaking experience of his scheduled transplant being canceled, leading to his death the same night. Daniel Rodriguez-Corrales shares the tragic loss of his father, Daniel Rodriguez Alvarez, who passed away at Memorial Hermann while awaiting a transplant. Rodriguez-Corrales voices the family’s frustration at not being informed when the transplant program was suspended and describes feeling as though they were manipulated during the process.

The families’ pursuit of legal action underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for transparency and accountability in medical practices related to organ transplantation.