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The pain in her belly was so bad some days, Consuelo Santiago could hardly get out of bed. For a decade, she suffered from a debilitating liver disease that made daily life difficult, and her condition was worsening still.

A former schoolteacher and resident of the Dominican Republic, Santiago, 54, was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a disease of the bile ducts that causes inflammation and scarring and can block the drainage of damaging fluid from the liver. She stopped teaching after the initial diagnosis and focused on raising her daughter, Aimee Gonzalez. As the damage built up over time, the abdominal pain became unbearable at times. Due to the cirrhosis occurring in her liver, she was told her best option was a transplant.

“My mom has always been so strong and had never let her condition get in the way of caring for her family,” said Gonzalez, 24. “When the pain got too difficult to bear, my dad started searching for the best doctors to help her. We went to Miami and South America, but she was told she may have to wait nine months for a new liver. She was in agony, and we couldn’t wait that long.”

Santiago’s husband, Ruben, learned about living donation as an option and sought out transplant centers equipped to do living donor liver transplantation. Family friends in the greater New York City area told him about �ٺ���Ƶ Transplant Institute and its Latino Liver Program and Living Donor Liver Transplant Program.

“PSC damages the bile ducts and leads to liver scarring over time,” said AnnMarie Liapakis, MD, medical director of the Living Donor Liver Transplant Program. “Beyond the pain, people suffering with PSC may have complications of liver failure, bile duct infections, and have a high risk of cancer, but unfortunately, not all patients are able to access a deceased-donor transplant in time due to the organ shortage. That’s why living donor liver transplant is an option we encourage people with this debilitating and life-threatening condition to explore.”

Gonzalez, who along with other family members was tested as a potential organ donor, turned out to be a perfect match.

“Aimee really wanted to help her mom, and we wanted to be sure the procedure for the gift she was giving went as smoothly as possible,” said Adam Griesemer, MD, surgical director of the Living Donor Liver Transplant Program. “Thanks to Aimee’s donation, Consuelo will get a great, healthy liver that will last a lifetime.”

Now, over a year after the June 13, 2023, procedure, the family is back to living their best lives again.

“My mom is doing great and able to enjoy life with her family again,” said Gonzalez. “She looks and feels like she’s 10 years younger, and we’re just so grateful we found the best option for her at �ٺ���Ƶ.”

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Colin DeVries
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Colin.DeVries@NYULangone.org