Sick Grandma of 12 Gets an Organ Donation from Her Daughter — Twice

A woman's selfless act saved her mother's life twice. The mother-and-daughter duo shared their health journey, which would have taken a different turn had the daughter not acted decisively.

Eileen Harlin, 39, donated two of her organs to her ailing mother, Julia Harlin, 71. Several years ago, Julia started experiencing health issues as her liver started failing.

It was the result of a condition known as cirrhosis, which is caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In a recent interview, Julia revealed she went from one doctor to the other trying to find out what was wrong with her.

She later learned that she was retaining fluid as her liver was not functioning as it was supposed to. Julia was finally examined at the University of Maryland, where she was told that she needed a liver transplant. Her motherly instincts kicked in instantly. Julia recalled:

"I told all my children I didn't want them to be my donor because then I would be worrying about them on top of worrying about myself."

Despite her mother's plea, Eileen realized that she needed to act. She shared they were discussing a holiday as a family, and Julia mentioned that she might not live long enough to spend it with them.

Eileen called the hospital the next day and told a nurse that she wanted to run tests to see if she was a match but wanted to be anonymous. Months later, Eileen found out that she was indeed a match during the week of Mother's Day, and expressed:

"The decision-making was super simple. I was doing it as long as I knew I was a match."

She and two of her siblings had applied to be living donors without their mom knowing. "It was a surprise," Julia revealed of her kids' efforts to ensure that she gets to live much longer. At that point, her health had been deteriorating, and she had to undergo procedures once or twice a week.

She was on a donor list, but there were no developments then. In addition, doctors estimated the grandmother of 12 would receive a liver transplant in five years, and she was skeptical about waiting that long, saying:

"I don't think I would have made it five years waiting for it."

Eileen eventually revealed to her mom that she was a match for a liver transplant, and, naturally, she became emotional upon hearing the news. To everyone's joy, Julia successfully underwent a partial liver transplant in August 2022. But that was not the end of her health woes.

In September 2023, The grandmother of 12 fell ill once more and learned that she had suffered kidney failuer, which required another transplant. The doting parent had to wait for a deceased donor who matched her blood type, which can be a long process, seeing that many people are also on the waitlist for the same kind of procedure.

Dr. Daniel Maluf, a transplant surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) in Baltimore, revealed Julia would have had to wait 8-10 years to get a kidney transplant. The odds were against her, primarily because of her age.

Dr. Maluf said the best option for Julia was to find a living donor, someone who would be willing to donate the organ. Meanwhile, she'd be waiting for an uncertain amount, surviving by means of dialysis.

Eileen stepped in once again to save her mother's life. At first, she was unsure whether she could donate another organ, but UMMC ended up doing an ethics meeting, and they allowed her to do it after learning she was a match once again.

Dr. Maluf, who performed the first surgery between the mother and daughter, also operated on them again for a kidney transplant in December 2023. The operation was once more a success. He said donating two organs was a "unique event" for a patient.

The medical professional also hinted that such procedures could become a norm and praised Eileen for her selflessness in helping her mother. Dr. Maluf stated:

"I would highlight the fact that [Eileen] seemed to be completely selfless and very caring about the mother, which is really just to be congratulated, and I think that she's the real hero of this story."

Eileen shared she and her beloved mother have always had a close bond, which probably became stronger after donating her organs. The two women are now in recovery and doing well.

Read more about a father who woke up to the news that his daughter secretly saved his life via a kidney transplant.