Costa Rican mother battles cancer with life-saving liver transplant from son

Costa Rican businesswoman Carolina Espinoza has received a new lease on life following a successful living-donor liver transplant. The 52-year-old had been fighting advanced colorectal cancer with liver metastases for over five years, enduring multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and experimental treatments in the United States. Despite exhausting conventional options, the cancer persisted, making the transplant a critical necessity.

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When I learned that a transplant was possible, I felt happy because it meant an opportunity to keep living.

The decision to pursue a living-donor transplant at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital in Florida was made by a multidisciplinary team. This approach was chosen to avoid the potentially lengthy and uncertain wait for a deceased donor. Espinoza's two adult children, Sofía and Santiago, immediately offered to be potential donors. After thorough medical and psychosocial assessments, her 26-year-old son, Santiago, was identified as the compatible donor.

Espinoza expressed immense relief and gratitude upon learning about the transplant possibility, viewing it as a chance to continue living. She admitted to initial doubts, prioritizing her son's well-being, and even sought a second opinion in Costa Rica. However, Santiago's unwavering resolve to help his mother was clear. "For Santiago, there were never any doubts: he wanted to help me," Espinoza recounted.

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I had doubts, I wanted to make sure my son was okay. I even sought a second opinion in Costa Rica, but for Santiago, there were never any doubts: he wanted to help me.

Antonio Pinna, director of Abdominal Transplant and the Living Donor Liver Transplant program at Cleveland Clinic Weston, emphasized the exhaustive nature of donor evaluation. This process includes blood tests for compatibility, detailed examination of the liver's anatomy, and crucial psychosocial assessments to ensure the donor fully understands the risks and benefits and makes a voluntary decision with adequate emotional support. The transplant, performed in March, was successful for both Carolina and Santiago, though Carolina's recovery was complicated by prior medical procedures and pain management challenges.

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We want to ensure that the person understands the risks and benefits of donating, that they make the decision voluntarily, and that they have the necessary emotional support during their recovery.