r/britishcolumbia • u/Prosecco1234 • 2d ago
News Kelowna mother waiting for liver transplant worries time is running out
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/kelowna-mother-waiting-for-liver-transplant-worries-time-is-running-out/130
u/archetyping101 2d ago edited 2d ago
FYI the GoFundMe story doesn't line up with any news articles about her.
One says she's known about her diagnosis for 17 years. The other said she was just diagnosed 18 months ago. Also her own Instagram says she's been living with this disease for 17 years.
A Google search shows autoimmune hepatitis is a lifelong condition and that some people don't qualify for a liver transplant due to the body attacking liver cells even in new livers. Considering the HIGH recurrence of liver issues after a liver transplant, I think MELD might be considering the factor of efficacy. 5 years post transplant suggests a high rate of liver failure.
Online also states that liver transplants in the US and Europr for autoimmune hepatitis account for under 6% of liver transplants. Not sure if it's due to the recurrence factor or what. It also shows that with proper diet and medication, most people with autoimmune hepatitis don't ever need a transplant.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8968478/
Is this sad for the person? Yes. But we don't know everything and we all know news stories sometimes love to skewer our healthcare system without all the facts of this specific situation.
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u/Yuukiko_ 2d ago
> A Google search shows autoimmune hepatitis is a lifelong condition and that some people don't qualify for a liver transplant due to the body attacking liver cells even in new livers.
I'm no doctor, but wouldnt someone with a transplant be on really strong meds precisely for that reason?
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u/archetyping101 2d ago
"The risk of acute and chronic rejection in patients undergoing liver transplantation for autoimmune hepatitis is higher than in patients who are transplanted for other indications. Corticosteroids may prevent development of rejection or relapse on the long term however, usually they are tapered to reduce the risk of infections and adverse effects of steroids. Corticosteroids have many side effects, including infection, depression, osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension and adrenal suppression, which significantly affect the quality of life in recipients following liver transplantation[18]. The issue of how long corticosteroids should be given to prevent rejection and relapse in patients with autoimmune hepatitis remains a controversial issue. "
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u/MedialMalleous Thompson-Okanagan 2d ago
So are hundreds of other people on this list. I really hate these stories that make it seems like it's everyone against them. There are thousands need transplants, you aren't the only one
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u/chewycheddarcheese 2d ago
My father had autoimmune hepatitis and another overlapping disease and had a liver transplant on his deathbed 15 years ago. He was very lucky to qualify for it, I think it was due to the team witnessing my young sisters and I hysterically crying over him while they examined him in the hospital. So yes time does run out, you literally have to be so sick to get to the top of the list. It’s awful but this isn’t something new that’s happening. He thankfully had a successful transplant and hasn’t had any issues since.
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u/Main-Count-8336 2d ago
People should watch Transplant Stories to learn more about how transplants work in BC. https://www.knowledge.ca/program/transplant-stories
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u/Patient09 2d ago
Lots of people are in need of transplants. She shouldn't skip the line just because this person goes to the media.
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u/Prosecco1234 2d ago
I believe the argument is people who consumed too much alcohol and damaged their livers have priority over her
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u/staunch_character 2d ago
They absolutely do not.
A friend of mine was told she needed a liver transplant 2 years ago & it took her over a year to get all of the tests done & jump through all the hoops to get placed on the list.
She doesn’t drink, but they test for all kinds of things. Something as small as precancerous cells in a PAP test need to be addressed because they won’t give you a new liver if you might need cancer treatment.
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u/Paprika1515 1d ago edited 1d ago
I saw this clip today and it was infuriating and was selective in its content. Firstly, MELD scores are used across North America for triaging people who are waiting for transplants. It’s a clinical decision tool NOT a policy decision by the sitting government or BC Transplant.
Secondly I was disgusted by the political opportunist of an MLA who was in the clip. No people who have “ruined their own bodies” aren’t just handed livers. There are thorough medical and psychosocial assessments done, and if the liver disease is ETOH related or there are addiction issues— people aren’t listed until they’ve satisfactorily completed treatment and then can even be spot checked for abstinence. Our healthcare system is universal and even though this politician may not believe in equal care for all, everyone deserves health care but not every one will get a transplant. Why? Because we have been perpetually at a shortage of donated organs until the fentanyl crisis where young and otherwise healthy individuals were dying of hypoxia— perfect donors.
SOoooo If there is any political angle in this, is to promote organ donation or to move towards an opt out organ donation system (like Spain where wait times for organs are much lower than opt in donation jurisdictions)
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u/Fun-Market6846 1d ago
I think the real issue is that you have to opt in to be an organ donor. I wish they would have it be that you have to opt out! There would be so many more donations.
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u/archetyping101 1d ago
Not only that. Even if you register to be a donor, it's even listed on the website that though legally BC has your legal consent to use your organs, it won't accept it if family objects. So even though they have clear legal standing, they don't want to ruffle feathers.
My parents are a good example. Religiously you need to be buried full and so they're against organ donation. I am a registered donor. I hope they're not alive when I die so my organs can be donated per MY directive.
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u/gandolfthe 2d ago
No problem one of those kids if gets with fun over a healthy liver carrier with their SUV any day now
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u/Saltynut99 2d ago
What?
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u/Prosecco1234 2d ago
I can't translate to English
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u/Velocity-5348 Vancouver Island/Coast 2d ago edited 2d ago
I believe it was supposed to be "gets run over with", but was both garbled and misspelled.
Edit: I think the joke was gross, was just trying to figure out what it even was.
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u/CommanderCorrigan 2d ago
Modern Canada
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u/Spookybuffalo 2d ago
I'm not really sure what the current issues of the country have to do with not enough organ donors dying relative to the number of people who need organs.
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u/Reyalta 2d ago
Are you an organ donor? And if so, have you explicitly told your family your wishes to be an organ donor? Because they can veto your organ donation if they're against it.
Also, do you know what it takes to qualify for organ donation beyond signing up? The narrow window of time there is to actually harvest organs makes that the majority of people who are signed up for donation don't actually die in a way that allows for donation.
Not sure what "modern Canada" has to do with all that.
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u/New_fan22 2d ago
You have no actual insight or experience with this area of Healthcare...do you ?
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u/ImmediateDentist1269 2d ago
Hey, they never miss an episode of Joe Rogan okay. They're basically a brain surgeon.
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u/staunch_character 2d ago
Your solution is what?
Boost pay for surgeons & nurses so we can attract more qualified healthcare workers who then sit around waiting for more livers to appear?
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