Not All Super Heroes are Found in Comic Books: The Reilly Story
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| Pictured are the first living donor and recipient pair Johns Hopkins performed in 1998. Daniel (left) and his mother, Kathleen Reilly are both doing well today. |
You'd never know it by just looking at them, but Kathleen Reilly and her son, Daniel, are Super Heroes. At least they are to the team of surgeons, hepatologists, anesthesiologists and nurses at the Johns Hopkins Liver Transplant Program. In 1998, the Reillys took part in the first adult to adult living liver transplant operation performed at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Yet, even though her health was rapidly deteriorating and her chances for a deceased donor liver donation were growing slimmer and slimmer, Kathleen Reilly was understandably reluctant to risk her only son, Daniel. Not Daniel. "I wasn't even asked to donate," he said. "I just volunteered."
The risks to Daniel were minimal. But the benefits to Kathleen were enormous. The survival rate of a patient who becomes critically ill and subsequently receives a liver transplant is around 65 percent. But a living donor transplant's survival rate climbs to 90 percent. In addition, the chance of post operative complications are reduced, as well as hospital stays and medical care costs. Daniel, for example, was discharged in eight days. Kathleen in thirteen.
Today, both say they feel completely back to normal and downplay their pioneering roles. Something you'd expect from Super Heroes.
