Guelph, Ont. toddler finally gets desperately needed live liver transplant

"Mighty" Myles Beaulieu is on the mend after receiving a potentially life-saving liver transplant.

The 14-month-old from Guelph, Ont. was diagnosed with a rare and chronic liver disease, called billary atresia, when he was seven-weeks-old.

In July 2024, his family made a public appeal for a live liver donor.

Their prayers were answered when a donor volunteered.

Myles’ mother said the surgery happened in Toronto last month at both the University Health Network and Hospital for Sick Kids. The recovery, she added, hasn’t been easy.

“We spent three weeks in the ICU where he remained intubated basically the entire time,” Emily Vokey told CTV News. “We tried to take the breathing tube out on the 24th of September, and he made it about 16 hours before he required CPR.”

Emily Vokey with Myles Beaulieu on Sept. 27, 2024. (Courtesy: Emily Vokey)

Since then, the toddler has made slow but steady progress.

“[He’s] being weaned off his pain medication,” Emily Vokey told CTV News. “His bright and happy personality is really starting to shine through again.”

Myles is also close to getting his voice back.

“We've had little soft cries here and there and little soft bits of laughter,” Emily said. “He really is very expressive. And when he smiles, he smiles with his whole being.”

In total, Myles spent almost 200 days in the hospital.

“It was a really stressful time and it was just a waiting game,” Emily explained. “I would sit there and I would hold him and I would feel this anxiety that, what if he fell asleep in my arms and just never woke up again?”

She’s happy with Myles’ progress so far.

“He is doing well and he’s happy and has a lot more energy than he did going into the transplant.”

Donor shares her story

Myles’ new liver came from a Guelph mother who didn’t know the family.

The first time they met the donor was right before the surgery.

“[That] they’re able to take time out of their life and press pause on their life entirely, their social life, their family life, their career, and do something for strangers? It’s such a beautiful thing,” Emily said.

Dianne Ritch-Schaffer met Myles before the surgery and felt a bond right away with the young boy.

Myles Beaulieu and Dianne Ritch-Schaffer on Sept. 17, 2024. (Courtesy: Emily Vokey)

“That was one of the best hugs,” she told CTV News. “Just being able to hold him and having that beginning step, we were so close to this transplant, it felt really good.”

It was a big decision to donate her liver, but Dianne called it an easy choice.

“When you donate to a child, it's a smaller portion. [There’s] less lobe that's donated. It's somewhere in between 20 to 25 per cent of the liver,” she explained. “The costs to us were very minor in comparison to the benefits that it could give to Myles and his family.”

Dianne said some people take their health for granted.

“We have never really had to consider our health in the same way that Myles’ family has. If we are able to give this small action, then I could end up giving them a whole lot more.”

Myles Beaulieu post-liver transplant in hospital. (Courtesy: Emily Vokey)

As for the recovery, Dianne and Myles are taking it day-by-day.

“He’s better and better every single day,” said Emily. “Our hope is that he will be home before Christmas.”

Myles remains at Sick Kids Hospital and his family is staying next door at the Ronald McDonald house.

Emily said she’s grateful for the support they’ve received and urges others to consider donating if they’re able.