Brooks- Lost his fight waiting (5 weeks old)

During my 20 week ultrasound, an area was found on our son’s liver. Further testing revealed that our son had a mass on his liver, later diagnosed as a benign tumor called a messenchymal hamartoma. We relocated to Cincinnati when I was 36 weeks pregnant so our son could receive care at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. After birth, the tumor was thought to be a congenital hemangioma which is a vascular tumor that shrinks on its own after birth. Only the tumor did not shrink. Instead it grew larger. A biopsy was performed when Brooks was 4 weeks old and an official diagnosis was made. The tumor was benign, but rapidly growing. He needed a new liver and he needed it yesterday. He was emergently placed at the top of the

transplant list. He was in respiratory failure. Renal failure. Heart failure. Our 5 week old baby

boy passed away in our arms on March 16th, 2018 just days after being placed on the transplant list. If I could’ve given him my liver I would have.

I couldn’t give my son what he needed to live. So I am committed to learning and educating others about organ donation in honor of my Brooks. I could not save him. But I hope that my efforts can save someone else.