Live liver donor needed for Guelph, Ont. baby

A Guelph, Ont. family is hoping someone will step up as a live liver donor for their 10-month-old son.

Myles Beaulieu was just seven-weeks-old when he was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare and chronic liver disease.

He’s now waiting for a transplant at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

“We’ve been there since May 25th and we can’t go home until Myles gets a new liver,” his mother Emily Vokey explained.

Some family members have explored whether they could be a donor, but none were a good match. By sharing Myles’ story, his mother hopes to reach other potential donors.

“In Myles' situation it can be anybody with an A or O blood type, both positive and negative are welcome, anyone between the ages of 16 to 50, and you have to be in general overall good health,” Vokey said.

Emily Vokey and her son Myles Beaulieu. (Submitted)

“The liver is such a resilient organ,” explained Mohit Arora, the vice chair of the Canadian Liver Foundation. “If someone donates a portion of their liver, the donated part will regenerate itself in full in a few months.”

Arora notes that a broad range of people could qualify as a liver donor, and the pool of potential matches is not limited to relatives or even a specific ethnicity. Donors can often resume their normal routines within a few months of the surgery and there are programs that can help with financial challenges like travel or time off work.

Arora, also a childhood liver transplant recipient, said it is a gift worth giving.

“Liver donation is a very powerful way to save lives and make a lasting impact. You’re not just saving the life of the person who receives it, but also their family, their entire social circle,” he said.

Myles Beaulieu at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. (Submitted)

“It’s a big decision and it’s a personal decision,” admitted Vokey. “Not everybody can or wants to be a donor or apply to be a donor, and that’s okay. There are other ways you can help. That's simply by sharing our story or donating blood, talking about organ donation [or] learning more about biliary atresia.”

Vokey said that, unless a potential donor identifies themselves to the family, they won’t know who might be going through the process until someone is a match.

Myles Beaulieu in an undated photo. (Submitted)

For now, Myles’ parents continue their wait at the hospital. Everyone on his floor now knows Myles, thanks in part to his happy disposition.

“He is the happiest, sweetest baby. He’s so beyond happy, it’s crazy,” said Vokey. “You’d think with having such bad insides and not feeling good, he wouldn’t be as happy and curious as he is, but he really is.”

For more information on Myles, biliary atresia, what being a donor involves and how to apply, you can visit the family’s website: MightyMyles.com