For Ocean Grove’s Katrine Swander, nothing could be better than watching her daughter thrive after being born with a life-threatening condition that required an organ transplant.
Riley was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare and serious liver condition, at 32 days old and put on a transplant list at 18 months old after developing sepsis due to a deadly infection around her liver.
Ms Swander said she was thrilled when a donor liver became available in 2020 for Riley, but her body rejected the organ, leading to her being on life support within days.
“That was every parent’s worst nightmare, watching your daughter in that position,” she said.
Another donor liver later became available a day before her dad, Rob, was expected to have surgery to donate part of his liver, with the second liver transplant a success.
“That first liver meant that she survived long enough to receive that second liver, so we consider both of those donations as lifesaving,” Ms Swander said.
Ms Swander said her daughter was given a second chance at life, with the now 6-year-old starting Grade 1 next week.
“The gratefulness that I know myself and our family and other recipient families have towards those donor families is just tremendous,” she said.
“She (Riley) is a little wild child and keeps us on our toes, but it’s just beautiful to watch her go from strength to strength and go to school with her peers and give life everything she’s got.”
Visit donatelife.gov.au for more information or to register as an organ donor.
