On June 24, 2020, Savanna Wrobel was born. She came a little early as a premature baby: 35 weeks and 3 days. But that didn’t stop her parents, Wade and Nicole, or her sister Olivia, from being excited about her arrival. However, since then, Savanna has experienced some health problems associated with her diagnosis of biliary atresia, a rare liver condition that affects bile flow and causes liver and bile duct scarring. The most common forms of treatment? Surgery to remove the diseased areas of the liver, or a liver transplant.

According to Journal & Topics, the now 14-month-old recently received a liver transplant on the last weekend in August 2021 (August 28/29).

Savanna’s Liver Transplant

Currently, Savanna and her family live in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The family sought out the liver transplant following a suggestion from the Lurie Children’s Hospital. Although there are, admittedly, some concerns about the procedure, Nicole notes that the family is cautiously optimistic about the future.

At the same time, the family is searching for support and help from the community. They explain more on a dedicated Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) page, explaining that the liver transplant actually came following the Kasai procedure a few months before:

The doctors at Lurie told us it would be apparent after about three months if the Kasia procedure was a “success”.  Unfortunately, her blood work over those first three months and throughout her first year proved that the surgery was not successful, and that Savanna would need a liver transplant by age two.

Now, following the transplant, COTA is working with Savanna’s family to assist with the cost of the liver transplant. On the page regarding Savanna’s story, COTA explains:

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support.

If you are interested in donating to or supporting Savanna and her family, you may do so in the following ways:

• Joining the Savanna STRONG Facebook page to learn more about her journey
• Donating online via credit card
• Sending donations to COTA at 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403 with “In Honor of Savanna Strong” as the memo

Ultimately, the family hopes to raise $75,000 to assist with the liver transplant cost. At the time of this article, the family has raised $44,050.

Biliary Atresia

Biliary atresia is a rare gastrointestinal condition which prevents adequate bile flow. Normally, bile flows through our biliary systems, moving from the liver to the gallbladder. But for patients with biliary atresia, bile ducts become blocked or scarred. As bile builds up within the liver, it causes further scarring, as well as a loss of liver function. While the cause of biliary atresia is not yet known, we do know that it affects females slightly more than males, and also affects those of Asian or African-American heritage more than Caucasians. Symptoms, which appear within a few weeks following birth, include:

• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Poor weight gain
• Dark urine and pale stools
• Hepatomegaly (abnormal liver enlargement)
• Increased irritability
• Swollen stomach/abdomen
• High blood pressure
• Heart or kidney abnormalities
• Pruritus (intense itching)
• Liver scarring, cirrhosis, or failure