Journal entry by Dana Hellgren —
This will be our last CaringBridge post for a while; please visit Ila's facebook page above to continue to follow.
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We are still looking for a hero to being Ila's living donor. We have had a few people evaluated with no matches, and unfortunately, Ila willl need a liver in the next few months. We can't be certain what the weight/height/BMI threshhold is, but Jadon is ~155 lbs, and we know he's too big, so it’s likely her donor will need to be smaller than that.
If you meet the following criteria, you can fill out this form to be considered: https://www.uwhealth.org/t…/living-liver-donor-inquiry/52502
-0 blood type (positive or negative)
-18-55 years old
-In good health
-Can be in Madison for a significant amount of time for evaluation and surgery & can take significant time off of work for surgery (anywhere from 8-16 weeks)
We do ask that you only fill out the form if you are have given serious consideration to the surgery and risks and sacrifices involved. Only one person can be evaluated at a time, and it can take up to a month for a single person to complete the process. During that time, nobody else can be evaluated, which is precious time for Ila who has limited time with her native liver.
Here are some FAQs that might be on your mind: https://www.uwhealth.org/…/live-liver-donation-freque…/12753
Important: If you have filled out the form, you should have received an email response from someone at uwhealth.org and, after reviewing the materials in the email, you need to call the number in the email as a next step. If you have had any problems with communication/responses, please let Dana or Jadon know.
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Looking for other ways to help or contribute? Here are our suggestions:
-Register to become an organ donor. www.donatelife.net. Over the holidays, share your wishes with your family and then ask them about theirs. Share Ila's story; we know she has inspired us in ways we never imagined!
-Show your support for COTA in honor of Ila by making a donation here: https://cota.org/campaigns/COTAforIla
-Donate to American Family Children's Hospital: https://www.uwhealthkids.org/get-in…/in-kind-donations/35459
-Donate to Ronald McDonald House (in Madison or in your area!) https://www.rmhcmadison.org/
Thank you for continuing to follow Ila’s journey. Warm wishes for a peaceful holiday season to you and yours.
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