Baby Mia desperately needs your help

Unless she gets a liver transplant, five-month-old baby Mia will not make it to six months.

Baby Mia was flown to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and listed for an urgent transplant three weeks ago, reports The Daily Telegraph.

Mia was born with biliary atresia, a rare disease of the liver that destroys the bile ducts, bile is unable to drain, so it builds up in the liver and causes significant damage, leading to death.

Mia’s parents are willing to be a live liver donor, where part of a liver is donated by a living relative, but the procedure is a last resort because it carries a serious risk of complication, including a high mortality rate for the donor.

“It does have a lot of complications but both Barry and I would do it,” Mrs Evans said.

“She’s a priority, but you can see her deteriorating quite quickly and it’s hard to watch. She’s only five months old.”

Mrs Evans urged people to talk about organ donation. “We’d like people to have that conversation with their family. You have the ability to save someone’s life and it’s so sad there are not more donors out there registered.”

The liver transplant team at the Children’s Hospital are passionate about encouraging people to think about and discuss organ donation, with another five children, not including Mia, also on the transplant list.

Transplant Australia say there are only 18 donors per million people in Australia, with NSW donor rates below average at 17 donors per million.

At any one time there are 1500 people on the waiting list.

For more information go to donatelife.gov.au

Share your comments below.

Image via Daily Telegraph

19 Comments

- - mom201663 said
  - 12 Sep 2016
    3:30 pm
It’s people like you and websites like this that indirectly helped give Mia the transplant she finally got. I hope you saw the news – see photo.
If we can work with you in the future, just say the word.
Sue, Communications, DonateLife WA.

- - tania_hardman said
  - 26 Jul 2016
    9:01 pm
I must admit, I am still ‘up in arms’ about organ donation for myself. I hope that this family finds a suitable donor soon and baby Mia lives a long, healthy and happy life!

- - sharna_booth_weinrowski said
  - 01 Jun 2016
    8:30 am
organ donation is so important it todays day and age.

- - Nas01 said
  - 31 May 2016
    8:56 pm
I think organ donation is very important and something I feel very deeply about. I hope little Mia gets well soon.

- - Thejoysof3boys said
  - 31 May 2016
    8:37 pm
Beautiful baby Mia, my thoughts are with you and your family. Sweet girl ♡

- - Shellie said
  - 31 May 2016
    6:02 pm
Surely those statistics are wrong, both myself and my partner are organ donors. I hope this poor baby gets what she needs in time!!

- - Lori-Anne said
  - 31 May 2016
    5:44 pm
I hope and pray that this beautiful little girl gets her transplant. What a gut wrenching time for this family.

- - mom112217 said
  - 31 May 2016
    5:12 pm
Hopefully Mia will get the help she needs,a beautiful little girl.

- - BellaB said
  - 31 May 2016
    5:04 pm
My husband and I have had this conversation.

- - mom156049 said
  - 31 May 2016
    4:44 pm
Praying baby Mia gets her new liver and all goes well with transplant. Organ donation is so important!! I’m registered and think everyone that is able to should be. We don’t need our organs once we are gone

- - Sarah93 said
  - 31 May 2016
    3:03 pm
18 donors for every million people?! They are scary statistics!!
I am a registered organ donor, and I urge my family and friends to do the same.
Hoping that beautiful little Mia can be saved.

- - leveestee said
  - 31 May 2016
    2:15 pm
I made sure as soon as I was old enough to make the legal decision I became a Registered Organ Donor. There is a card that lives in my wallet and all of my family and close friends know of my wishes.

- - mom160421 said
  - 31 May 2016
    1:20 pm
I too am a registered organ donor and my family knows my wishes.

- - mum4107 said
  - 31 May 2016
    1:17 pm
Oh poor little bubba. I’m listed as anorgan donor. Imsuprised there aren’t more

- - mom90758 said
  - 31 May 2016
    12:55 pm
Just 18 donors for a million people in Australia? Really? Shocking!
I hope one liver will soon come for this beautiful girl.
I am a registered donor too.

- - mom81879 said
  - 31 May 2016
    12:33 pm
I am a registered organ donor. Both my grown up kids are too. Terrible to be waiting for someone to die, someone to lose a loved one, so your baby may live. She doesn’t even look sick in this picture. Best of luck with it all
- june11 replied
  
  31 May 2016 , 1:54 pm
  The baby’s skin is yellow. That is a distinct symptom of liver failure. The white section of her eyes should be white. They are turning yellow too. Mia looks happy in this photo but certainly wouldn’t be some of the time. Liver problems are very painful.
  Some people on lifesaving medications can develop liver and kidney problems. Their organs can’t be used. I am one person this unfortunately applies to.
  - mom90758 replied
    
    01 Jun 2016 , 1:36 pm
    
    I’m sorry to hear that! 🙁
  - june11 replied
    
    01 Jul 2016 , 11:11 pm
    
    Fortunately my kidney function is normal at this stage.
    I have developed fatty liver which may/may not have been aggravated by my medication. It also excludes me from being a blood donor which really annoys me. I have good quality of life because of the medication I take. I am thankful for that. There are others in the same situation who aren’t so lucky.