Two Young Girls Receive Life-Saving Organ Transplants in Israel

Two young girls, aged 5 and 6, have received new lives thanks to successful organ transplant surgeries performed at Schneider Children's Medical Center in Israel over the past weekend. A 5-year-old girl from the Jerusalem area underwent a life-saving liver transplant after battling a rare liver disease. She is currently recovering in the intensive care unit.

Her mother expressed profound gratitude to the donor family, stating, "There are no words in the world that can comfort you for the heavy and terrible loss. In the darkest and most painful place, at a moment of utmost brokenness, you discovered inner strength, nobility, and divine grace, and chose to give life." She added, "Thanks to your noble decision, my sweet daughter will receive a healthy and happy life, God willing!" The mother also used the occasion to raise awareness for living liver donation, quoting a Jewish saying about saving a life being akin to saving an entire world.

The liver transplant was led by Dr. Michael Gurvitch, head of the liver transplant unit at Schneider, along with Dr. Vladimir Tank from Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus. The surgical team also included anesthesiologist Dr. Firas Abu Sabeh and nurses Sapir Lev and Moshe Israelov.

Concurrently, a 6-year-old girl from northern Israel received a lung transplant. This complex surgery was performed by Dr. Yuri Pesachovitz, head of thoracic surgery at Beilinson Hospital, and Dr. Gabi Amir, director of neonatal heart surgery at Schneider, assisted by Dr. Shahar Deysi and Dr. Michael Segal. She is now being cared for in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit.

Both life-altering transplantations were made possible by the generosity of organ donors and their families' decisions to donate organs and save lives.