A Perfect Match: Cooper Hicks' Biliary Atresia Story
Tiffany Hicks, Cooper’s mom: “Cooper Jacob Hicks was born a big, healthy boy on March 22, 2016, at 9 pounds even. Little did we know this would be the start of our journey with biliary atresia.”
Cooper also was born without a gallbladder. His billiary atresia meant bile couldn’t drain from his liver. Doctors tried a surgical procedure to help, but what he really needed was a liver transplant.
“We had already lost our daughter when she was a month old. I just could not wrap my head around the fact that my second child could have a rare liver disease after my daughter was born with one. These are two completely different rare diseases that are not hereditary. So, what are the chances of me having another child with a rare disease?”
Tiffany and her husband feared for the worst and prayed for the best. She asked if she could donate part of her own liver to save her son.
She was a match.
Tiffany: “There was this big weight lifted off my chest. We could finally get Cooper a liver and get him healthy again.”
She was able to donate a portion of her liver that would grow with her son. That first year after the liver transplant was a roller coaster, but they made it through.
Kathy Campbell, MD: “His liver is functioning beautifully. All of his complications are either resolved or under very good control.”
Sarah Myers, BSN, RN, Liver transplant coordinator: “With the care at Cincinnati Children’s, I think that we do excellent care. We have amazing post-transplant coordinators, as well as physicians that really work multidisciplinary with the team to provide the best care for patients to get the optimal outcomes.”
Dr. Campbell: “It’s been fantastic to see him grow and develop as a normal child.”
Tiffany: “He’s just your typical 3-year-old boy enjoying life. And you would never know what he’s been through just by looking at him. The greatest gift is the gift of life. I am forever grateful that I get to watch my little boy grow up and be a normal kid, just with a complex health history.”
“I could not be more thankful for the opportunity that Cincinnati Children’s gave the option of living donation.”
“They saved Cooper’s life. I will forever be grateful for that and to be able to have the opportunity to give him life twice.”
