Dothan child battling life-threatening liver disease finally makes transplant list

Yahoo

3 days ago

DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN)—After months of battling a rare and deadly liver disease, Noah Hallford and his family received some great news this week.
'We found out yesterday morning that he was approved for a split transplant here at the children's hospital, which is big because they haven't been doing that…and then at the same time, we found out we were approved for transplant in Pittsburgh,' Noah's mom, Shelby, said.
Ever since he was born, Noah has been suffering from biliary atresia, which occurs when the liver's bile ducts are blocked or absent, resulting in Noah having to undergo numerous tests and surgeries.
Community coming together for Wiregrass baby needing a new liver
This recent news does not guarantee that Noah will receive a liver, but it does place him on the coveted transplant list.
Initially, the Children's of Alabama hospital, located in Birmingham, lacked the necessary surgeons needed to perform a split liver transplant, where one half of a dead patient's liver would be given to Noah.
Forcing the Hallfords to make the trip to Pittsburgh to see if they could be approved for a living donor.
But now that the Alabama hospital can offer split donors, it's a massive weight off the shoulders of a family that is already weathering numerous storms.
'Pittsburgh is the best place for liver transplants in general,' Shelby said. 'But I will say, with our situation and our five-year-old and having to be away from her so much, the possibility of being able to do it here is amazing.'
While this is a massive accomplishment for the family, the Hallfords sadly found themselves back in the hospital a little over a week before receiving the news.
Doctors discovered that Noah had multiple esophageal varices, which are enlarged and swollen veins in the lower part of the esophagus, and can lead to severe bleeding in the throat.
But throughout the entire process, which included more tests and shots, the family says that Noah has continued to be a trooper.
'I'm in awe of his strength, Shelby said. 'He's a baby, he doesn't really know what all is going on…It's like nothing ever happened; he's happy and he's playing.'
The Hallfords admitted that this entire process has undoubtedly taken its toll on the family, but luckily, they haven't gone through it alone.
From the multiple fundraisers to help them financially, to friends and family offering to take their daughter out for fun activities while they stay in the hospital with Noah, the family says they could not have done any of this without the support of their community.
'Like I said, it's overwhelming, and we are so appreciative of everything. We couldn't make it without our Wiregrass family.'
The family says Noah will undergo further testing to treat the esophageal varices, and if everything goes as planned, they expect Noah to be back home within the next couple of weeks.
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