In the US, thousands of people get a liver transplant every year, while more are remaining on waiting lists. Who gets the transplant remains to be a complex process. A baby from Waukesha, Wisconsin did not have to wait very long. He got a matching donor just 40 minutes after being listed.
The Baby's Family Prayed For A Donor And Their Prayers Were Answered Rather Quickly
Biliary atresia is a life-threatening disease that only affects infants. It affects the bile ducts, a digestive liquid made in the liver, making it inflamed and blocked soon after birth. This causes the bile to remain in the liver, destroying liver cells rapidly, causing cirrhosis or scarring of the liver.
Five-month-old Daniel McCabe was born with biliary atresia, a rare liver disorder, and only a liver transplant could save him. On December 13, his family listed him for a liver transplant at Lurie Children's Hospital, and less than an hour after, their prayers were answered.
Daniel's Wait Time Is Extremely Rare
A liver, which was a perfect match, became available on the deceased donor registry 40 minutes after Daniel's name was listed, Babw News said. The event was incredibly rare, considering that just 43 people in the US have waited 40 minutes or less for a liver. The average wait time for adults is 149 days and 86 days for children.
According to NBC Chicago, 6,000 people receive a liver each year over the last five years, but more than 14,000 are waiting for a liver. Daniel's case was the shortest wait the Lurie Children's has seen in the past five years.
Daniel was able to go through a successful liver transplant at Lurie Children's last Wednesday. After eight days, he has opened his eyes and is now looking healthier than ever, which is a miracle, according to his parents.
