Ending the pediatric waiting list
04/22/2024LOVE COMES FROM THE (DONATED) HEART
Malaya Soares, 5, has been through more than many will experience in their entire lives. She was born with a heart condition that prevented proper blood flow called dilated cardiomyopathy.
“It turns out we have the same exact mutated gene,” says heart recipient and Soares’ mother, Mia Welch, about their identical diagnoses.
The team at Phoenix Children’s was able to stabilize Soares in an emergency and eventually added her to the national organ waiting list for a new heart.
“She was listed for transplant for 14 days,” Welch says, the longest two weeks of her life.
Further tightening the mother-daughter bond, Soares got her donated heart on the birthday of Welch’s own heart donor. After her donation, Soares had post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Essentially cancer, PTLD is a life-threatening complication after a transplant. But with a sparkly tiara, a bright smile and a personality to match, Soares has a new heart and is now cancer free.
IT’S NATIONAL PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANT WEEK
Did you know? There are more than 2,100 children under the age of 18 on the national transplant waiting list, and 27% of them are under five years old.
This week, April 21-27, is National Pediatric Transplant week. This initiative serves to end the pediatric transplant list for the 2,100+ waiting, and honor pediatric donors and their families.
HIS ENERGY LIVES ON …
A talented baseball player, a son and a friend to many, Dylan Barrier always knew how to light up a room. At just 18 years old, he gave the gift of life and healing to six others after a tragic skateboarding accident.
“I’m really pleased that he decided to donate his organs so that other people could live and have a chance at life,” says his mother, Stephanie Barrier.
Dylan was always a daredevil, looking for excitement in everyday situations.
His energetic and generous spirit will live on in his family and all those who hear his story.
Stephanie has a message to Dylan’s recipients and their families: “I’m really happy for you and your family. I’m really sad that I lost my son, but I’m really thankful that you guys will get another chance at life with your family. Most of all, just enjoy life, enjoy every moment of it.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The first thing you can do to help end the pediatric transplant waiting list is to register as an organ and tissue donor. You can register as young as 15 ½ in the state of Arizona. Register online today at www.DonateLifeAZ.org or at an ADOT MVD or select third-party office when you get your driver license or state ID.
There’s lots more to learn about pediatric organ and tissue donation. To learn more about the causes and need of pediatric transplantation, how the pediatric transplant waiting list works and more, visit www.DonateLife.net.