Sixty percent of the liver transplants needed in the United States occur in children under 5 years of age. Leaders at Seattle Children’s Hospital say more awareness of living donors is needed.
SEATTLE — A Seattle teen used her summer vacation before heading off to college to give her 9-month-old baby a chance at life.
Vinnie Starelli, now 18 months old, is continuing his recovery and treatment after receiving a living donor liver transplant from donor Nikki, 19.
Before Vinny was born, a prenatal test revealed that he had a liver abnormality. He has undergone several tests since birth.
Eventually, Vinny was diagnosed with biliary atresia. Biliary atresia is a rare liver disease that occurs when a baby’s bile ducts do not form properly and cannot drain bile. His mother said she knew this could be fatal unless Vinny received a liver transplant.
Instead of waiting for a deceased donor who matched Vinny, the procedure was scheduled immediately.
“It was a no-brainer,” Nicky said. “I really felt like this was something I could do and help in some way.”
Vinny’s parents, Kayla and Vincenzo, say they are grateful for Nikki’s selfless decision to register for living organ donation and go ahead with the transplant. Nikki said she is recovering well. Currently, she is attending college in California.
Over the past nine months, Vinny has been recovering and undergoing post-transplant treatment.
Kayla said she is looking forward to more birthdays and more family time with all of her children, including Vittore, 14, and Michelle, 3.
Seattle teen saves infant’s life with living donor liver transplant
Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) is the only pediatric liver transplant program in the Pacific Northwest.
Families travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to Seattle for life-saving treatment.
“Sixty percent of all liver transplants are performed on children under the age of five,” said Dr. Pamela Valentino, medical director of the Liver Transplant Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. “The highest mortality rate on the waiting list is infants – 10%.”
Valentino said the leaders of the SCH Pediatric Liver Transplant Program are committed to advocating for patients. Valentino said when donating to a baby, candidates would likely donate about 20% of their liver, allowing the liver to grow back in a few weeks to months.
“We have a patient and family, education and communications team that created this, it’s incredible. Living Donor Advocacy Toolkit“Patients and families will be able to learn more about the living donor process and tell others about the process to help find a donor,” Valentino said.
SCH said potential donors could be family members, friends, neighbors or even strangers who happen to be registered. Raising awareness is key to increasing your chances of matching.
The Starellis live in Oregon City, Oregon, and Vinny and his mother continue to travel to Seattle regularly for treatment.
They spent weeks and even months away from their families so Vinny could receive treatment before and after his liver transplant.
Vinny’s donor, Nicky, happened to have ties to the Stareris family. Her father was Kayla Starelli’s pastor when she was young. Both families lived in Oregon for a time before Nikki’s family moved to Seattle.
Nikki’s father said he was proud of Nikki for volunteering to undergo testing to become a living donor, but said he was not surprised that Nikki made such a selfless decision. Ta.
“I think there were seven people registered and only two got tested,” Kayla said. “Others were put on waiting lists or told they were not great candidates.”
Kayla said someone from out of state volunteered to become a living donor after seeing posts about Vinny’s condition on social media. SCH encourages families to reach out to their communities in person and on social media to widen their search for organ donor matches.
Nikki’s surgery was performed at the University of California Medical Center, and Vinny received treatment at the University of California. The two hospitals are working together to make these tandem procedures possible.
“Out of 60 pediatric liver transplant programs, we are in the top six for providing the most living donor liver transplants,” Dr. Valentino said. “I know that over the past three years, a significant number of pediatric wards have closed across the country.”
To increase the number of potential living organ donors and deceased donors, Dr. Valentino and the Starellis hope more people will sign up.
Find out how to become an organ donor.
Seattle Children’s Hospital shared Washington state’s organ donation waiting list statistics as of January 16, 2024.:
- 159 patients are actively listed. liver Washington state transplant waiting list: 11 children, 148 adults
- 1,222 patients are actively listed. kidney Washington state transplant waiting list: 44 children, 1,178 adults
- 1,381 patients are actively listed. liver or kidneys WA WAIT LIST: 55 children, 1,326 adults
