Gabe and Miriam named their baby girl Viviana, meaning “full of life.”
But at 5 weeks old Vivi was diagnosed with biliary atresia–her liver was failing and her life was in danger.
At 5 months old, doctors performed exploratory surgery and ultimately determined Vivi’s liver couldn’t be saved. With Gabe’s liver as a match, Vivi came through her partial-organ transplant surgery at Packard Children’s, only to reject her new liver.
Fortunately, the incredible team at our Transplant Center used an existing procedure in a new way, filtering out the blood cells that caused rejection. It saved Vivi’s life.
Thanks to friends like you, baby Vivi and her family are doing fine!
Donors like you who support Transplant Research at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford help make stories like Vivi’s happen every day. She’s now a healthy, happy toddler who loves playing with her sisters just like any other kid having a normal childhood.
When a child faces a life-threatening diagnosis, your generosity means everything.
Thank you for your continued support.
Vivi is #WhyWeScamper.
Register to Scamper and support care, comfort, and cure for more kids like Vivi.