A mum has saved her eight-month-old son’s life by giving him part of her liver.
Baby Armando Perdomo was diagnosed with biliary atresia — an infantile condition characterised by damaged bile ducts inside and outside of the liver and had his first life-saving surgery when he was just 45 days old.
This involved removing the damaged bile ducts outside of his liver.
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Unfortunately, it was not successful and Armano urgently needed a transplant.
Stepping in to save her own son, new mum, Zuleika Lopez, 37, donated part of her own organ.
“I felt such despair when he was first diagnosed,” Zuleika, a life science teacher from Orlando, Florida, told Need To Know.
“I felt the blood rush out of my head.
“I immediately knew I wanted to get the donor evaluation started – it’s a lengthy process and I wanted to be as proactive as possible.
“I wasn’t afraid of donating.
“I was only afraid of what would happen if I wasn’t a match.
It was an amazing, uplifting moment that I was able to give him life a second time.”
Zuleika underwent vigorous testing to determine whether she was a match for her son.
She said: “I felt anxious throughout the process.
“Thankfully we found out quickly that I was a match.
“I was so relieved.”
The transplant surgery involved replacing Armando’s entire liver with a small section of Zuleika’s healthy organ.
It is known as a monosegment liver transplant.
She said: “I can liken the feeling to the beginning of a sports game.
“You have a bunch of emotions and energy, and then the whistle blows and boom, it’s focused, silent. It’s simply ‘go time!’
“I felt like a deflating balloon when I woke up and was told it had been successful.
“My shoulders sank, I unclenched my jaw and my breathing settled.
“I couldn’t wait to see him!
Both Armando and Zuleika spent 30 days in hospital recovering, returning home in May 2024.
Zuleika added: “Thankfully, we are now both home resting and healing.”
“I feel an amazing sense of calm knowing the worst is over.
“We’re excited for his first birthday in a few months.”
