Born with a rare congenital heart defect, Wilson underwent three open-heart surgeries before the age of 4 and spent much of her childhood in and out of hospitals. Now a college junior, she is among a small number of patients nationwide to survive a rare double heart-and-liver transplant made possible by emerging medical technology.
Doctors diagnosed Wilson with an underdeveloped left side of the heart, a condition that initially stabilized as she grew older. But years later, complications from her altered circulation began damaging both her heart and liver.
“Because of the type of heart defect she was born with, the circulation ultimately affected her liver as well,” said Dr. Ryan Butts, a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Health and professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “She needed both organs transplanted at the same time.”
The first attempt at the dual transplant was called off at the last moment after doctors determined the donor heart was not viable.
“It was heartbreaking,” Butts said. “But it was absolutely the right decision.”
For Wilson, the uncertainty was the hardest part.
“The waiting takes so long because you never know,” she said.
Throughout the ordeal, Wilson said her faith sustained her. She prayed daily, especially when setbacks threatened her hope.
“I was just calling on God,” she said. “I knew there was a plan, even if I couldn’t see it yet.”
A second opportunity came with the help of the Organ Care System, a technology that keeps donor organs functioning outside the body, allowing transplant teams to travel farther and preserve organs longer.
The surgery, which lasted two days, was successful. Wilson spent 88 days recovering at Children’s Health, calling it the most difficult chapter of her journey.
“The recovery was the hardest part,” she said. “That’s something I’ll never forget.”
Wilson, who once produced The Sydney Show as a child to document her medical journey, is now focused on her studies and future. She has not yet met her donor’s family but hopes to one day express her gratitude.
“I’m here because someone gave me a second chance at life,” she said.
