All articles tagged with #liver transplant
The US liver transplant system updated its MELD 3.0 scoring model in 2023 to address a sex bias that disadvantaged women. While the new model adds points for female candidates to account for lower muscle mass, early data shows the gains are temporary. Experts argue that the core issue is not just the score, but the physical size of the organs, which often does not fit smaller female recipients.
Anastasia Sevriukova, a 27-year-old aerospace engineer, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in early 2025 after experiencing rectal bleeding and severe fatigue. Despite securing a dream job and getting engaged, she declined the position to undergo treatment in Minnesota. Her journey included emergency egg freezing, chemotherapy, a complicated colon surgery resulting in a stoma, and a liver transplant in June 2026. Although she was cancer-free for three months, new tumors appeared in her lungs in August 2026, requiring resumed treatment. Sevriukova is now pursuing a master’s degree while managing the physical and emotional toll of her condition.
Kyler Hess, a father of four from Polk City, Iowa, received a life-saving liver transplant from an unexpected living donor after doctors determined it was the only path to curing his stage 4 colorectal cancer. The donor, Abby Conley, a stranger who followed Hess’s journey online, successfully passed medical tests at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, after Hess’s brother was deemed ineligible due to anatomical issues. The transplant aims to allow Hess to survive long enough to witness his children’s future milestones.
Shelley Fabares, the star of The Donna Reed Show and Coach, died at 82; her family told People the cause was pneumonia. She had autoimmune hepatitis and underwent a liver transplant in 2000, and she also appeared in several 1960s films with Elvis Presley.
Shelley Fabares died in Los Angeles after a battle with pneumonia, and her family later disclosed that years of health problems included autoimmune hepatitis leading to severe liver failure and a liver transplant in 2000. The beloved actress was known for The Donna Reed Show, One Day at a Time, Coach, and the song Johnny Angel.
Shelley Fabares, the longtime TV and film actress known for The Donna Reed Show and Coach, died on August 22 at age 82. Her family told People she died of pneumonia after being diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, from which she had a liver transplant 26 years ago.
Shelley Fabares, beloved for The Donna Reed Show and Coach, died at 82 after a brief illness. Her family confirmed the cause of death as pneumonia; she had autoimmune hepatitis and underwent a liver transplant in 2000. She is survived by her husband, Mike Farrell, and two stepchildren.
Vox argues that while living liver donation could greatly reduce the organ shortage, the U.S. lacks a national registry and robust infrastructure to support such programs; building this system—through universal protections for living donors, advanced organ-preservation technology, and expanded surgical training—could unlock more transplants, mirroring the progress seen with living-kidney exchange.
Shelley Fabares, beloved for her roles as Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show and Christine Armstrong on Coach, died at 82 after a brief illness, surrounded by loved ones. She also starred opposite Elvis Presley in several films and topped the charts with Johnny Angel in 1962; she had a liver transplant in 2000 and is survived by her husband Mike Farrell and his children.
Chris Collins, 38, of Sandusky, was diagnosed as a teen with primary sclerosing cholangitis and received a liver from his aunt in 2023; now, due to disease recurrence and a post-transplant complication, he needs a second liver transplant and has been placed on the transplant list, with a potential living donor option and community fundraising to support the family.
After a lakeside spider bite in Kansas, Britagne Miller developed a painful hematoma and two infections that led to liver failure and a dangerous surgery, leaving doctors warning hospice before weeks in the hospital; she’s now back home but still awaiting a liver transplant, with her GoFundMe page nearing its $60,000 goal as her family fights to keep her alive.
A Goddard, Kansas mother survived a spider bite at Cheney Lake that led to life-threatening blood clots and was believed to cause end-stage liver failure; after multiple surgeries, infections, and weeks in intensive care, she recovered enough to leave the hospital and is awaiting a liver transplant, with doctors stating a dire prognosis earlier in her care.
Britagne Miller, a Kansas mother of four, was bitten by an unknown number of spiders during a family campout near Wichita, triggering swelling, infections and end-stage liver failure that required multiple surgeries; she has since survived and is on a liver-transplant waitlist, with her husband out of work and a GoFundMe launched to cover medical and daily expenses.
A Kansas mother of four developed life-threatening complications after multiple spider bites at Cheney Lake, including a suspected brown recluse bite, blood clots, severe infections, and end-stage liver failure, requiring several surgeries and a transplant plan; her husband lost work while she recovered, and the family started a GoFundMe to cover medical and daily expenses.
A Kansas mother, Britagne Miller, faced a life-threatening medical crisis after a spider bite at Cheney Lake, with doctors initially treating blood clots and liver complications that were described as end-stage liver failure. After weeks of surgeries and infections, she was discharged home and is now trying to become eligible for a liver transplant, while her family has launched a GoFundMe to cover medical and daily expenses. The case underscores the risks from venomous spiders in Kansas (brown recluse and black widow) and highlights the financial and health toll on affected families.