Hannah Clark (16) just underwent a surgery to end a 16 year bout with various ailments, and not minor ones at that.

At 8 months old (1994) Hannah Clark was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy which is a condition were the heart doesn’t function properly.  A donor heart was used, but instead of exchanging the two, surgeons left her original heart in her chest to rest, a term known as Piggybacking.

As with any transplant, the body refusing an organ is always an issue so Hannah was put on potent drugs to assist in the adjustment.  These drugs however cause another little problem: CANCER. Ouch

So as her cancer battle is going on, she makes it 11 years and finds that her immuno-suppression drugs were no longer working. Hannah’s body was rejecting the donor heart.

February 2006 rolls around and a tough decision in made.  Surgeons decide to remove her donor heart and ideally her own heart should be in good enough shape to work.  This has never been done.  The family really had no choice though and the surgery was done (by the surgeon who did the original transplant who came out of retirement just for this young woman).

Three years later, Hannah has no need for any drugs and has been given a clean bill of health. The operation was a success!!!!!

A rather interesting story.

Makes me wish I could have a backup liver!

Congrats to Hannah and her family