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Twin sisters, Phuoc and Binh Wagner, receive successful liver transplants
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Twin sisters, Phuoc and Binh Wagner, receive successful liver transplants

Posted on April 21, 2015

Summary:

Today, during National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, Michael and Johanne Wagner wholeheartedly thanked the anonymous donor who donated part of a liver to their twin daughter Binh, who is recovering well at SickKids following a successful transplant, which took place within the past month.

Today, during National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week, Michael and Johanne Wagner wholeheartedly thanked the anonymous donor who donated part of a liver to their twin daughter Binh, who is recovering well at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) following a successful transplant, which took place within the past month.

“It was exceptionally brave to come forward to give this incredible gift of life to someone they’ve never met,” says Michael Wagner. “We’re looking forward to a long life with the girls and to bringing Binh home with us soon.”

An anonymous donor donated a portion of their liver to three-year-old Binh, who has Alagille syndrome. The donation surgery was performed at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network and the transplant surgery took place at SickKids within the past month.

Binh’s twin sister Phuoc is doing well following her February 10 liver transplant, which was generously donated by her father Michael Wagner.

The twins’ doctor, Binita Kamath says, “We expect the girls to go to school, to play, and do all the normal activities that kids do, with the proviso that they need continued medical attention and need to continue to take immune suppressant medications to allow them to keep the livers that they have received.” She is Staff Hepatologist in the Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Centre at SickKids.

While the Wagners are thrilled that their twin daughters received their life-saving living donor transplants, they noted that many children and adults are still waiting on the list for an organ. In fact, 1,600 people are on Ontario’s waiting list today, with 211 of them waiting for a liver. According to Trillium Gift of Life Network, every three days someone dies waiting.

“We are all inspired by the gift of life given to both Binh and Phuoc. Thank you to the Wagner family for putting a spotlight on the importance of organ donation. Living donation is not without sacrifice, there is a risk, and there is an alternative with deceased organ donation. If everyone in Ontario became a donor we would be able to meet the need, so in honour of the Wagner family, don’t hesitate, don’t put it off, please register consent at beadonor.ca,” says Ronnie Gavsie, President and CEO, Trillium Gift of Life.

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