Healthy Colorado: Family member saves toddler’s life with partial liver donation

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) -- Children's Hospital Colorado says about 40 babies and kids die every year waiting for a liver transplant. Right now, they have 12 children on the list in Colorado who need a life-saving transplant. Six people need a kidney, and six people need a liver. Unlike kidney donations or bone marrow, it's easier to be a liver match.

Swinging high under a sunny sky is a family favorite for the Jordans living in Fountain. But health struggles over the last few years have kept them from carefree days like this.

"She had the biopsy and the procedure called a Kasai I think all by 26 days of age," says Rachel Jordan, McKenna's mom.

McKenna, the youngest Jordan, was born with Biliary Atresia, a serious liver disease. She's been in and out of the hospital most of her life.

"Hearing the doctors and the different tones in their voice, and starting to skip steps because we didn't have time, and that is when it got kind of scary," says Chaz Jordan, McKenna's dad.

McKenna needed a new liver, and she needed it fast.

"We had a sick child, and we didn't even know how sick she was," says Chaz.

Both her parents, Rachel and Chaz, wanted to step up and donate, but doctors advised against it. Without asking, McKenna's aunt knew she needed to help.

"My sister saved my daughter's life," says Chaz.

"It was October 28th, 2022," says Nikole Stover, McKenna's aunt.

That's the day everything changed. Aunt Nikole Stover donated part of her liver, and it was a success.

"She was able to give a piece of her liver to McKenna, and she saved McKenna's life," says Dr. Amy Feldman, the director of the liver transplant program at Children's Hospital Colorado. "She's been doing beautifully since transplant."

Dr. Feldman says if more people were willing to be a living donor like Nikole, they would save even more lives.

"There are not enough deceased grafts from gifts from people who've passed away for all the people in need," says Dr. Feldman. "And every day, people die on the waiting list."

And Nikole says she would do it all over again.

"Not a lot of people know that the liver is the only organ in the body that regenerates," says Stover. "By about 6-8 weeks, I was good to go."

And for the first time ever, little McKenna is thriving.

"Once she got the liver, we could see a huge change," says Chaz. "Everything changed, her skin color, her eye color."

After a quick nap on Dad, it's back to the playground. McKenna's now almost four. A thriving preschooler who loves life.

"She can literally say she saved a life," says Rachel. "Like I am related to my real-life hero."

And gets to live it thanks to her humble aunt.

"It definitely makes you tear up," says Nikole. "Our relationship is great now, I think it is just going to get stronger and stronger the older she gets, and we'll be close."

A relationship and life-saving gift, this entire family will forever be grateful for.

"I could never repay Nikole for what she did," says Rachel. "I don't know if she understands how it is to be on the receiving end of it. To think your child might not make it is very hard to cope with and handle and process, and Nikole doesn't want any praise or acknowledgment."

McKenna will need lifelong meds to keep her immune system quiet and not reject the liver. And she might have challenges fighting off some sickness, but doctors don't anticipate any issues.

Children's Hospital Colorado says they performed the most liver transplants in their history in 2024. 22 life-changing transplants to help pediatric patients, and they hope to top that number this year.

If you think you'd be a good fit for donation, fill out this form and get tested.

It's important to note that the surgery is so high tech nowadays, people have small incisions, short recovery time, and usually don't need narcotics for post-op pain. Doctors say donors are back at work in just a few weeks.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.