RAPHAEL KELLNER

When our son, Raphael, was born in July of 2003 with a liver disease known as Biliary Atresia, success was first determined by the “Bilirubin Scale” measuring the dysfunction of the liver, it did not go down, but rose steadily; then, at 5 weeks it was how did the operation (a Kasai Procedure) go to try to establish liver functionality, there was none; then, 8 weeks later it was when would the liver transplant take place.

ALEXANDER JACK SCHINDLER - 'JAX'
I was born with bilary artesia, a liver disease that occurs because there is a blockage in the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder. My parents were told that I would eventually need a liver transplant to live. At 6 weeks of age, I underwent an operation to delay the imminent damage to my liver. After the failure of this operation, my mom, Heather, was tested to see if she could be a living donor, but the doctors said they could only use her liver as a last resort. I was put on the donor list, and, thanks to another family's heroic decision to donate their loved one's organs, I received my new liver at Mt. Sinai Hospital when I was 6 months old. While I still need to go to the doctor often and have to be careful, I am healthy and just started 1st grade!

CHRISTOPHER – A MULTIPLE LIVER TRANSPLANT SUCCESS STORY

Christopher is now a 2 ½ year old healthy child, but he was not born that way. Here you will find the story of Christopher’s journey before, during, and after Christopher’s three liver transplants.

GILLIAN’S TRANSPLANT STORY

You wouldn’t expect it from a child who has endured as much as she, but Gillian is a wonderful, energetic and friendly 8 year old who just happens to have recently undergone a liver transplant at Mt. Sinai. To look at her now, you would never know that just a short time ago, she was diagnosed with hepatocelluar carcinoma, a rare liver tumor, hastening the need for her transplant.

THE MARIE BRUDOS STORY

Marie was born with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) and Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis (CHF) on June 9th, 1993. Marie is currently a happy, optimistic and fun loving 12 year old living a normal life in Aurora, Illinois. Her life did not start out this way, but thanks to the wonderful medical care she has been given over the years, she now participates in all the activities of her classmates, friends and family.

ALONZO’S SUCCESS STORY

When I first heard that my son Alonzo Marte was diagnosis with liver failure my wife and I were terrified. We were told by the doctors at Mt. Sinai that Alonzo would need a liver transplant. I thought to myself how could a newborn need such drastic surgery and how would he recuperate from it. I could not believe that my son needed surgery and to hear these words was as if someone went inside my body and consumed all the life out of me within 48 hours.