In the Fall of 2014, my sister, 15 year old Emily West was admitted to Hasbro Children’s Hospital for a two week stay. During that time, she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, Autoimmune Hepatitis, and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). While the team at Hasbro was familiar with Ulcerative Colitis and Autoimmune Hepatitis, PSC is a rare and complex disease, so our parents sought additional care at Boston Children’s Hospital.

PSC is a rare, autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation, scarring, and narrowing of the bile ducts. These blockages cause bile to back up into the liver, progressively damaging liver cells and potentially leading to cirrhosis and liver failure. While there are several treatment paths, most patients rely on medication to slow the disease’s progression. Even early on, Emily and our family understood that despite treatment, she might one day need a liver transplant as medications would no longer control her symptoms.

Emily’s diagnoses required a demanding medical routine: more than 20 pills a day, weekly bloodwork, frequent MRIs and endoscopies, and bi-annual ERCP procedures to stretch her bile ducts and reduce blockages.

For many years, Emily remained basically asymptomatic. But over the past five years, her symptoms began to intensify, including visible jaundice, extreme fatigue and severe itching. In early 2025, one of her doctors recommended she consider joining the transplant list based on her MELD score, a medical scoring system used to measure the severity of chronic liver disease and determine a patient’s priority for a transplant. Scores range from 6 to 40, with higher numbers indicating greater urgency. In less than a year, Emily’s MELD score quickly rose from 16 to a 24.

On May 27, 2026, the Multidisciplinary Transplant Committee at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) met and recommended that Emily be added to the liver transplant waiting list. She was officially listed on May 28, 2026, receiving her confirmation letter that morning.

Just a few hours later, around 11:00 p.m., Emily received a life-changing phone call: a match had been found. On the morning of May 30, 2026, Emily underwent a successful liver transplant. She is currently recovering at MGH and will continue her healing journey at home with months of intensive care before she can return to her “normal” life.

While Emily is incredibly fortunate to have received a liver so quickly, she did not have time to prepare for this procedure, and the road ahead remains uncertain. For the past six years, she has dedicated herself to her work as an elementary and special education teacher in the Warwick and Lincoln school districts. She cares deeply for her students and is heartbroken that she cannot finish the school year with them. Due to her long recovery, Emily may not be able to return to the classroom for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year.

With extended time away from work and an unknown amount of medical expenses, from the transplant itself to ongoing appointments, therapies, and medications, Emily is facing a significant financial burden.

Emily would never ask for any money herself, which is why we have started this page to help support her throughout this difficult time. Our goal is to relieve her of the financial stress so she can focus entirely on healing. Any donation, no matter the amount, is deeply appreciated. It will mean more than you can imagine to Emily and to our family. Thank you all for your support, kindness, and prayers during this challenging time.