Recipient Story: One Small Heart

When deciding whether or not you want to become an organ and tissue donor you may be constantly flooded with facts and statistics. Although these pieces of information are essential, you must read and listen to the untold stories. These are the ones that truly capture your heart and tell about those individuals whose lives have been saved because of organ and tissue donation. After hearing these stories, you feel inspired and begin to understand how just one person can affect the lives of others. In fact, according to DonateLifeOhio.org, last year more than 8,000 deceased donors made possible more than 22,000 organ transplants. This is proof that you can truly make a difference in the world.
One such story that is extremely heart-warming and inspirational is the story of a little boy named T.J. Born on October 15, 2005, T.J. was a healthy child full of life and energy; however on June 12th his parents took him to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh because he had been sick during the night. What they thought was the flu turned out to be Viral Myocarditi, which is a virus that attacks and damages the heart. After placing a machine called an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to keep his blood oxygenated and circulating, his parents and doctors were hopeful. However, his condition didn’t seem to improve and soon after T.J. was diagnosed with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, a rare condition in which his heart couldn't relax to fill with blood. The only way to save him was a heart transplant, but he could not wait for a donor and needed help immediately.
The doctors decided to use a Berlin Heart. This device could pump and circulate the blood for his heart. This particular device was put in place on July 11, 2007, and two days later T.J. was taken off the ventilator. Finally, on July 16th a donor heart was available and the doctors accepted it. On that very same day, doctor’s performed a heart-transplant and the surgery was a success! T.J. made a strong recovery and proved that he is tough and courageous. Since that time, T. J. has been readmitted to the hospital because of a complication from the transplant called PTLD. This disease causes tumors to grow in lymph tissues. These tumors were all along his GI tract and the tumors were worse than the doctors predicted. However, T.J. once again proved his strength by enduring a four week course of medication and treatment. Since March 2008, T.J. has been doing very well and although he still has some GI issues, he’s playing just like any 3-year-old boy and healing with his family.
This is only one of several stories involving organ donation. This little boy’s life could have ended in his first years of life had it not been for the heart transplant. So, when considering whether or not you want to be an organ and tissue donor, think of T.J. and thousands of others who are desperately depending on donors. Realize that this is your chance to give back and make an impact on someone’s life.

**T.J.’s story and ways you can donate to his cause can be found at: http://www.cotafortjw.com/node/46

Written by Amber Upp