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Teacher's life saved by colleague's living liver donation
15 Jun
Summary
- Teacher diagnosed with nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis requires urgent transplant.
- Colleague donates portion of liver, enabling a life-saving procedure.
- Patients travel to Colorado due to New Mexico's lack of transplant programs.
Kathleen Gallegos, a beloved teacher at Alamosa Elementary School in Albuquerque, faced a dire health crisis after a sudden diagnosis of full liver failure. Despite having no history of drinking, she developed nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis, a condition that progressed rapidly.
Initially placed low on the donor list, Gallegos was discouraged by the potential three-year wait for a transplant. However, her colleague, Lorin Ybarra, offered a life-saving solution by volunteering as a living donor. Ybarra’s selfless act will allow both teachers to undergo the necessary surgery.
Due to New Mexico being one of ten states without a liver transplant program, Gallegos and Ybarra must travel to the University of Colorado Anschutz in Aurora for the procedure. Ybarra will stay for three weeks, while Gallegos anticipates a three-month recovery period in Colorado.
Gallegos, forced into early retirement due to her health, expressed deep gratitude for Ybarra's gift, which has given her renewed hope. Ybarra stated her strong commitment to the donation, wishing to give her colleague the chance to live a happy and healthy life again.
