Minn. woman's reply to newspaper plea for transplant saves toddler's life

[okarol]

Minn. woman's reply to newspaper plea for transplant saves toddler's life

1/21/08


A plea for help in an Owatonna newspaper turned into a lifesaving liver transplant earlier this month for a toddler with an intestinal birth defect.

Ava Cowell may only have had days to live Jan. 4 when she received a portion of a liver donated by 23-year-old Sara Kaiser, according to a surgeon with The Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The 18-month-old Cowell was born with volvulus, an abnormal twisting of the intestinal tubes that impairs blood flow. Her resulting dependency on IV formula for nutrition was hard on her liver and caused it to fail.

When doctors recommended a liver transplant, the Cowells sought matching donors among relatives but could find none. Desperate, the Owatonna family pursued a newspaper article a week before Christmas.

"Ava was running out of time," said her mother, Erica.

Kaiser lived in nearby Medford, but didn't know the Cowells. She read the story and offered to help. Tests confirmed she had the same blood type and her liver would be suitable for a partial transplant.

"I saw myself in Ava's mom," Kaiser recalled. "I put myself in her position."

Partial liver transplants from living donors are becoming more common, and are lowering the number of patients who die awaiting an organ for transplant. Nearly 3,500 have taken place in the U.S. since 1989, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.

Less than 600 have involved donors who directed their organs to go to non-relatives, and far fewer involved complete strangers.

The Cowells and Kaiser have grown close. The night before the transplant in Omaha, Ava was baptized and Kaiser was named godmother.

Kaiser has had a smooth recovery from the surgery to remove 25 percent of her liver. She hopes to return to Augsburg College in Minneapolis where she is studying sociology. Doctors expect her liver to fully regenerate in a year.

Ava remains in critical condition with a long recovery ahead. But the family is grateful for her second chance.


http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_7968611?nclick_check=1

[lola]

Ava's story was just on the news the other night and sadly she passed away.

[okarol]

Awww that is so sad. 

[Joe Paul]

That poor baby, so hard to take when babies suffer - Rest in peace 

[CW]

I was so hopeful then I read the rest of the posts
I have a family friend who lost her daughter after two transplants and she was only a couple of months old it really put things in perspective for me.