Through the joint efforts of the multidisciplinary expert team at the Liver Disease Center of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 16-year-old Yaoyao successfully underwent a mother-to-daughter living donor liver transplant. Part of the surgical expenses were funded by the Shanghai Yanhua Public Welfare Foundation.  

Yaoyao's father said emotionally, "Huashan Hospital provided the answer we had been desperately searching for. You are that beacon of hope!"  

Liver Failure of Unknown Cause – A Race Against Time

In March 2024, Yaoyao, from Jiangsu Province, noticed that her eyes and skin were turning yellow but did not pay much attention initially. However, her condition deteriorated sharply in May, and she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and acute liver failure at the hospital. Despite undergoing a month of treatment, her condition continued to worsen progressively. After multiple rounds of artificial liver therapy, her symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding and ascites became increasingly severe, leaving her with increasingly limited time for effective treatment.  

Yaoyao's parents were extremely anxious and sought help from multiple hospitals. Eventually, with their last glimmer of hope, they came to the outpatient clinic of Professor Zhang Jiming in the Infectious Diseases Department of Huashan Hospital. Professor Zhang immediately arranged for Yaoyao's hospitalization and stated, "The Infectious Diseases Department will spare no effort in the treatment and will never give up. If the parent-child matching is successful, we will request the liver transplant center team from the General Surgery Department to perform the living donor liver transplant. We can assist in applying for funding to cover the expenses. Let us work together and make one more effort!"  

Daunting Challenges in Detailed Diagnosis – Liver Transplant Emerges as the Only Option

After hospitalization, Yaoyao underwent a series of examinations: significantly elevated bilirubin, poor coagulation function, liver atrophy, and low protein levels—all indicating the necessity of a liver transplant. Based on multiple clinical clues, Professor Zhang Jiming's team considered genetic metabolic liver diseases (particularly Wilson's disease) as highly likely possibilities, while also not ruling out drug-induced liver injury. The team arranged whole-exome gene sequencing for Yaoyao and her parents, but a definitive diagnosis still required waiting for the genetic test results.  

At a time when internal medicine treatments yielded minimal results, Yaoyao's mother was found to be a compatible donor for her child, meaning a living donor liver transplant became a viable path! However, the family's newly kindled hope was soon overshadowed by concerns—the risks of liver transplantation, its prognosis, and the high surgical costs became heavy burdens on their minds. The previous treatments had already exacerbated the financial strain on the family, which was already struggling economically. Where would the funds for the living donor liver transplant come from?  

Yanhua Public Welfare Foundation's Pediatric Liver Transplant Project Provides Strong Support

"Saving lives comes first! Since the mother-daughter matching is successful, the living donor liver transplant should be performed as soon as possible. Let's work together to address other issues, and we can assist in applying for the full support of a public welfare foundation to cover the surgical expenses!" Upon learning about the concerns of Yaoyao's parents, Professor Wang Zhengxin, Director of the Liver Transplant Center in the General Surgery Department, made this clear statement. Deputy Director Shen Conghuan and Dr. Xue Hongyuan from the Liver Transplant Center also patiently explained the maturity and efficacy of living donor liver transplant technology to the family on multiple occasions, alleviating their various anxieties before and after the surgery. Through detailed communication with the medical staff, Yaoyao's parents ultimately solidified their decision to proceed with the surgery.  

The issue of expenses was then smoothly resolved: the Shanghai Yanhua Public Welfare Foundation and the Shanghai Yongda Public Welfare Foundation jointly provided full funding for the surgery.  

With the collaboration of the multidisciplinary team, Yaoyao successfully underwent the living donor liver transplant on June 24. Post-surgery, both Yaoyao and her mother recovered well under the meticulous care of the medical staff, and Yaoyao was discharged from the hospital on July 15.  

Multiple Parties Join Hands to Build a Relay of Life  

Yaoyao's successful treatment was inseparable from the close collaboration and exceptional medical expertise of Huashan Hospital's liver transplant team. Based on the genetic test results, Professor Zhang Jiming's team ultimately diagnosed Yaoyao with **progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC)**. With the successful completion of the liver transplant surgery, as long as Yaoyao adheres to medication and regular follow-ups, her prognosis is very optimistic.  

The Shanghai Yanhua Public Welfare Foundation will continue to uphold its mission of "Gathering Drops of Compassion to Illuminate the Light of Hope," providing assistance and hope to more economically disadvantaged children suffering from end-stage liver disease.

Translated by Harry chen, a volunteer