Dad’s Greatest Christmas Gift to His Son Who Has Biliary Atresia

A father is set to give the greatest Christmas gift to his 10-month-old son as he will donate part of his liver to his son, who has biliary atresia. 

Dad Evan Wailes, from Mill Park, has decided to share something of his own literally to save the life of his son, Walter, who was diagnosed with biliary atresia in April when he was just nine weeks old. The life-threatening condition stops toxins and waste products from leaving the body.

Walter’s mum Jessica explained her son’s condition. “It’s something he was born with. In a healthy person your bile ducts sit outside your liver, your liver processes fats, proteins and drains the bile into the intestines. When Walter was born, his bile ducts didn’t form properly so his liver doesn’t drain bile,” she said.

Earlier this year, Walter underwent surgery to create a bile duct out of a small piece of his intestines but it was not successful, and he was placed on the organ transplant waiting list. “We were told he would need that (transplant) within the first year of life,” Jessica said.

Yet, the better news the couple received was when doctors advised them that they could donate part of their own liver.

Jessica said that they immediately agreed and that Evan easily said yes to donate his liver just to see their son get well. “We said yes because obviously it is really hard to watch Walter get sicker and sicker. That is one of the harder things “¦ relying on someone else’s decision (to donate), it’s completely out of your hands,” she said.

She added that it was an easy decision for Evan and immediately went through tests until he was finally given the all clear to donate.

“It’s pretty amazing, (he says) it’s just what you do when it’s your kid.

“He’s not even giving it a second thought, he is not scared at all. I’m really proud he is just taking it all head on,” she said.

Walter has been on the transplant waiting list for four months. The operation will involve splitting a liver, which has been done only twice in Australia, and Mr Wailes will be the first father in the country to donate part of his liver to his child. Surgeons will work for at least eight hours at the Austin Hospital to remove the left, smaller side of Evan’s liver before it is transported to The Royal Childrens Hospital where doctors will work for more than 12 hours to fit it into Walter’s body.

This marathon procedure is booked in for a few days before Christmas.

Now, Jessica encourages families to talk about organ donation.

“People should consider it and make it known to their families,” she said. “Especially over Christmas, when people are going to be together, it’s a time to talk about it.”

Source: Kidspot.com.au