By his mother, Jodi Renwick

Zachary was born on January 13, 2000. At six weeks of age he was diagnosed with biliary atresia, dextrocardia (heart on the opposite side and flipped), situs inversus (insides are reversed), and polysplenia (multiple spleens). Three days after his diagnosis he had the Kasai operation. His numbers never really improved and after a few bouts of cholangitis he was referred to the transplant department.

Zachary was listed in September 2000 at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. Since then he's had multiple episodes of cholangitis. He had a NG tube placed to help with feedings. Zachary, our little Houdini as we like to call him, pulled his NG tube out four times. He is now on TPN. We are still waiting for a liver.

By her mother, Sheri Eisch

Emma Anne Eisch, was born on February 4, 2000. She has been diagnosed with biliary atresia. She had her Kasai done at 6 weeks old. It was thought at first that her surgery only partially worked because her bilirubin level had stabilized at 2.8. The first 5 months were rough and we spent a lot of time at Children’s Hospital, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. But it is now believed that cholangitis was the culprit, keeping her bilirubin level up, because after her last treatment of antibiotics, at 5 months old, her level has gone down to 0.6 and we are thrilled!

Emma is such a happy baby despite all that she has been through. She has a winning smile that seems to melt the hearts of all the nurses and doctors she has met.

By her mother, Laurie Johansen

This is my angel baby, Ashley. At almost three years old she isn't a baby anymore, but she is still my angel. Ashley was born on July 30, 1998, and at 6 weeks of age was diagnosed with biliary atresia. She was also born with a choledochal cyst, a precancerous cyst of the common bile duct. I look back at Ashley's first year of life with tears in my eyes. She went through so much; we all went through so much. We almost lost her a few times because of severe dehydration and a very bad bile leak. But, now, after a revision of her Kasai at 3 months old, Ashley is doing miraculously.

Ashley hasn't been in the hospital since November,1998, except for routine labs, ultrasounds and other miscellaneous tests. Her lab values are all normal. She is thriving and doing everything a healthy 2½-year-old does. She loves riding her tricycle around the neighborhood and she know how to swing all by herself. She is stubborn, sweet, and adored by everyone who knows her.

We still don't know how long Ashley will live with biliary atresia, but we take one day at a time and treasure each moment we have with her. Our faith in Jesus tells us that no matter what happens, Ashley will be fine. Our positive thinking and prayer are what sustained us in Ashley's worst moments. Through God all things are possible.

Since Ashley's diagnosis it has been a dream of mine to educate young people about organ donation. My goal was to promote organ donation in the school system as a regular part of the curriculum. In November, 2000, I met Linda Duty, a mother of a donor child. She had the same dream. By January, 2001, our dream became reality. On January 11, 2001, the first K.O.D.E. (Kids Organ Donor Education Program) took place in St. Petersburg, FL. Hopefully the K.O.D.E. Program will make a difference to all the men, women, and children who are waiting for the gift of life. Maybe it will make a difference in Ashley's life and other children like her.

By her mother, Mika Denny

Our daughter Drew Catherine Denny was born November 8, 1999. She was diagnosed with biliary atresia and had her Kasai at 9½ weeks, on January 12, 2000. At first they thought the Kasai didn't work because her stools turned pale again shortly after her surgery. We waited and were in the process of scheduling exploratory surgery when her stools started coming out green again. I never thought I would cry over a stinky green poop!

Since then Drew has gotten more and more healthy every day. She had a Broviac catheter in for about three months after the Kasai. So far she has not had any complications or bouts of cholangitis. So we feel fortunate.

Drew's bilirubin level got down to 1 at 5 and a half months old and her other liver numbers are normal or very close to normal so we are encouraged and very hopeful that she will be healthy for a long time to come.

It has been one of the most emotional things we have ever gone through to watch our daughter suffer from this tragic liver disease, but we are so grateful to our doctors, family and friends for helping us with their knowledge, support and understanding.