Vaughan toddler recovering after liver transplant; mother was donor
Posted June 19, 2015 2:21 pm.
Last Updated June 19, 2015 2:41 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A toddler from Vaughan has undergone life-saving liver surgery at Toronto General Hospital after receiving a transplant from a live donor, her mother.
The family of eight-and-a-half month old Delfina Budziak made a public appeal for a living donor in May.
At the time there were concerns that her mother, Betsy Budziak, wouldn’t be able to donate.
But Delfina’s father, Peter Budziak, told 680 NEWS mother and daughter underwent surgery on Thursday and it went better than expected. He said both are now in recovery.
Hundreds of people from across North America and even Europe reached out through e-mail and Facebook about being a potential donor.
“We can’t thank people enough. Over 1,000 strangers stepped up to say they’d be willing to save our daughter,” Delfina’s father said in a release.
Delfina has a congenital liver disease called biliary atresia, and her story has led to more public awareness of the disease plus other children who also need help.
“I also want to thank the Canadian media, who helped us get the word out not only about Delfina, but also about the need for living donors to help thousands on the wait list,” he said.
