In South Lyon, a glimmer of hope and love shines through as a 2-year-old toddler named Blake Hermann returns home after a successful liver transplant surgery. For little Blake, this marks the start of a hopeful journey towards recovery and a normal childhood.
The boy’s parents, Molly and Ken Hermann, express immense gratitude to the anonymous liver donor, stating, “We are so incredibly grateful for the donor family’s decision to help our son.” Molly reported marked improvements with her son stating, “His itching is gone, his sleep is way better. His appetite is still a work in progress, but it’s improving.”
Blake was diagnosed shortly after birth with a rare disorder called Type 1 progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, which prevents bile from draining from the liver. This unfortunate condition results in severe itching and jaundice, and also hinders the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.
After a nail-biting period of seeking a living liver donor and receiving several anonymous offers that didn’t match, Blake’s plight touched hearts and he was moved up on the deceased donor transplant list. The child’s extreme conditions convinced the organ sharing network that he was in dire need of a transplant, leading to the reception of a liver at the end of July.
A day after receiving the awaited call, little Blake was whisked away to the operating room. Despite a minor hiccup involving a slight mismatch in liver size which brought about an additional surgery, the boy bravely persevered and came out sporting a new liver.
The journey doesn’t end here as Blake’s road to recovery continues. His appetite is slowly returning, and he’s enjoying foods like Fruit Loops, pretzels, scrambled eggs, and his favorite, “bagels!” Besides that, the boy requires frequent medical check-ups and a regulated course of medications.
As the medications can weaken his immune system temporarily, he will need to avoid contact with people who are sick. However, in a few months, experts expect him to be able to partake in most normal childhood activities and eventually start school.
As gratitude fills the Hermann’s household, Molly has heartfelt words to share: “We are grateful for the dynamic medical staff, our friends, family, community and mostly, the donor family. Their selfless decision is something we can never repay.” There are sleep and snacks, trucks to play with, and a future to look forward to for an incredibly brave little boy named Blake.
