A devastating hurricane forced Dusti Holloway and her family north.
Health issues that started at birth led Elizabeth Taibel to Omaha.
Two little girls — two families — faced challenges that brought them to The Nebraska Medical Center.
The pediatric transplant team performed a total of 52 transplants in 2005, making it one of the busiest pediatric transplant programs in the region. That number includes 18 pediatric liver transplants, six small bowel transplants and 17 liver-small bowel combinations. In fact, The Nebraska Medical Center performed more liver and small bowel transplants on children last year than any other transplant center in the United States.
“There are several things that have contributed to the growth of our program,” said Debra Sudan, M.D., director of the Intestinal Rehabilitation Program and transplant surgeon at The Nebraska Medical Center. “Over the years we have had increasing success with better survival and less rejection. In addition, we have been leaders in advancing non-transplant care to patients with short bowel syndrome.”
“The most important thing, though,” she said, “is not the number of transplants, but the ability to offer hope of a long-term future to so many families.”
Six-year-old Elizabeth Taibel of Sugarland, Texas, received her liver and small bowel transplant in late September 2005. Elizabeth was born with a twist in her bowel. She had numerous surgeries and suffered a lot of complications. The Taibel family decided on The Nebraska Medical Center in part because of the family-centered care.
“Omaha is very different. Every day you see the same group of doctors, the same group of nurses, the same people who know you and know how your child’s been doing,” said Sarah Taibel, Elizabeth’s mother. “They manage to make it family-oriented. The Nebraska Medical Center is a very, very special place.”
“We know all of our families are going through an incredibly difficult experience,” said Debb Anderson, pediatric transplant coordinator at The Nebraska Medical Center. “But they can take comfort in the expertise and care here. We treat their children just like our own.”
The family of Dusti Holloway never expected to be in Nebraska, but is thankful that fate brought her here. Dusti was hospitalized in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. Air Force Medical Transport flew the 1-year-old and her family to Kansas City for care. But soon after arriving, doctors realized Holloway was in need of more specialized medical attention. Another trip brought her to Omaha and a few short months later, in November 2005, Dusti received a liver, small bowel and pancreas transplant at The Nebraska Medical Center.
“Before her transplant, we called her golden girl. Because of her liver failure, her skin had a yellow or orange tint,” said Sharon Ilgenfritz, Holloway’s grandmother. “But after the transplant, her skin color changed overnight. It truly was a miracle.”
For members of the transplant team, there’s nothing better than to watch a child or adult make such an incredible improvement.
“One of the best things for me is to see the patients who come to us that are really, really sick before transplant leave the hospital feeling so much better and ready to get back to a normal life,” Dr. Sudan said. “That, to me, is the most gratifying part of my job.”
“I really admire the parents who dedicate their lives, who sacrifice everything to take care of their sick children,” said Wendy Grant, M.D., transplant surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at UNMC. “We get to know them really well as many of them are here for months to a year or two at a time. They become part of our family. I think that’s one of the unique aspects of our program – we develop these bonds with the patients and with their parents.”
The Nebraska Medical Center has performed a total of 2,442 liver and small bowel transplants on adults and children. This number dates back to 1985 and the start of the liver transplantation program. In 1993, The Nebraska Medical Center became one of the first hospitals in the country to perform small bowel transplants.
On Saturday, transplant recipients from each decade since the 1970s celebrated their second chance at life at The Nebraska Medical Center’s Transplant Reunion.