One Liver, Two Lives: Emma and Emily’s Transplant Story
April 20-26th is National Organ and Tissue Awareness Month, a time to honour the courage of organ donors and the families they save. In Saskatchewan, one family’s desperate fight for their daughter’s life was answered by the selfless act of an extended family member, creating a story of hope and survival. Emma, a baby with a failing liver, and Emily, a mom who donated part of her liver, show the power of living liver donation. This is their story.
Emily and Emma happy and healthy!
Emma’s Fight: A Family’s Desperate Struggle
At six weeks old, Emma was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare liver disease that left her without a gallbladder or bile ducts. “It was heartbreaking… her disease is cruel,” says Megan, Emma’s mother. A surgery to help bile flow failed, causing irreversible liver damage. By February 2024, Emma, not yet one, needed a transplant. Her family relocated from Saskatchewan to Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital for a week-long assessment, where they learned Emma had ascites—dangerous fluid buildup requiring diuretics.
Emma’s condition worsened. Hospitalizations in Saskatoon and Edmonton followed, with albumin infusions and a transfer to Stollery due to Saskatchewan’s lack of specialists. Fluid buildup persisted, leading to a drain insertion. Then, a heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, emerged, likely from fluid shifts. “Everything was falling apart,” Megan recalls. The living donor team searched for a match, but none of the many volunteers were suitable. Emma was also on the deceased donor list, needing a vessel to replace her clotted portal vein.
The crisis peaked when Emma aspirated, suffered respiratory failure, and had a cardiac arrest, requiring five minutes of CPR. “It was a nightmare,” Megan says. She survived but was sedated in the PICU with a breathing tube, too sick for surgery. The family clung to hope, supported by family visits, a GoFundMe, gift cards, and daily texts. “People’s kindness kept us alive,” Megan says. “Those texts meant the most.”
Emily’s Courage: Becoming a Living Donor
Emily, a social worker and mom of two, saw Emma’s family’s plea for a donor. “I could empathize with their pain,” she says. Knowing nothing about living liver donation, Emily had many conversations with her doctor and the Edmonton transplant team to understand the process, risks, and impact. Learning she shared Emma’s blood type pushed her to act. “I thought, ‘Maybe I’m the one.’”
The living liver donation process was intense. Emily called Edmonton’s transplant line, providing her basic information. Tests followed: bloodwork, BMI, blood pressure, chest X-ray, EKG, ultrasound, and more. Living rurally helped her rush through, supported by her workplace and community. A three-hour interview probed her health, mental state, and motivations. “They asked everything about my family medical history and lifestyle” she says. CT and MRI scans confirmed her as a perfect anatomical match, donating 22.5% of her liver.
Getting the full check-up!
The process wasn’t easy. “It’s not for the faint of heart,” Emily admits. Donors need good health, financial stability, and strong support. Surgery was scheduled for June 11, 2024, after Emma stabilized. “I was given an out multiple times, but once I knew I was a match, I was committed” Emily says.
The Transplant: A Dual Miracle
Emma’s cardiac arrest meant a priority transplant. Emily was tested and confirmed as a match just two days later. But Emma’s pneumonia and fragility delayed surgery. A week later, with Emily cleared, the transplant was set. A deceased donor’s vessel, donated the day before, replaced Emma’s clotted portal vein. “Without both donors, Emma wouldn’t be here,” Megan says.
Emily’s surgery took six hours. “They opened me up first, confirmed the anatomy matched the scans and took final measurements, then started Emma’s surgery as my team was removing the liver” she says. Recovery was tough: a week in the hospital, no lifting for 12 weeks, and pain management challenges. “Not holding my kids was the hardest,” Emily says. She returned to work at seven weeks but needed help for months. Community support and Kidney Foundation aid eased financial strain.
Transplant success!
For Emma’s family, the cardiac arrest leading to a priority transplant was the turning point. “I cried tears of relief when Emily was confirmed,” Megan says. Returning to Saskatchewan three months later, with Emma’s liver and heart stable, felt like a victory. Now 20 months old, Emma thrives but faces lifelong meds, bloodwork, and therapy for regaining strength after being sedated and intubated for over a month. “Some days feel normal… then we recall the trauma,” Megan says. “She’s not cured- the transplant was a lifesaving treatment.”
Two Sides, One Mission
Emily’s sacrifice gave Emma a future. “Seeing Emma laugh now is worth every challenge,” Emily says. For Megan, Emily’s gift restored faith in humanity. “Hundreds stepped up, even strangers.” Both urge action: Megan advises transplant families to connect with others for support and accept help. Emily encourages potential donors to just make a call and learn more information about the process. “You only need one match,” she says. “It could be you.”
This April, honour Emma and Emily’s story. Learn about living liver donation, register as a donor, or support families at moveforlifefoundation.com. One liver changed two lives. Be someone’s hero.