Michelle’s daughter, Madisynn, was born with a rare and fatal condition known as Berdon’s Syndrome. She was unable to eat or digest food on her own. Her family was given little to no hope on her chances of living. In fact, they were told at birth that she would most likely not make it to six months and there was a 99 percent chance that she would never see her first birthday, unless she received a multi-visceral transplant. At just 10-weeks-old, Maddie was placed on the waiting list for a transplant. Over 20 surgeries and over 50 blood/platelet transfusions later, she made it! Madisynn received a liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach and intestines all from one donor. She did amazingly well. It was a miracle. But exactly one month later, Maddie went into cardiac arrest and became brain dead. Her family wanted to know if they would be able to donate any of Maddie’s organs when she passed, and were very proud to find out that a little boy received her heart and the others were given for research.
“Life is a circle, and being a donor just brings it right back around. It is extremely hard to lose a love one, especially a child, but donation gives you such comfort and peace to know that your child, as young as they might be, made a huge difference.” –Maddie’s mother, Michelle