Nanny Donates Part of Her Liver to Save a Toddler With Rare Liver Disease

A 22-year-old nanny has donated part of her liver to save the life of the child she babysits.

Kiersten Miles met the Rosko family in June last year after she was recommended as a summer babysitter for their three children, and immediately bonded with the New Jersey family.

She had only known the Roskos for three weeks when she found out their youngest child, 16 month old Talia, had a life threatening liver disease requiring a transplant.

Talia suffers from biliary atresia, which occurs when the liver’s ducts become backed up with bile, killing cells and eventually the liver. Her liver was quickly destroying itself, and she needed a transplant urgently.

The college student immediately decided to find out whether she was a match for the baby.

She was, and recently she underwent an operation to save Talia’s life, donating part of her liver.

“It’s such a small sacrifice when you compare it to saving a life,” Kiersten said. “Some of her doctors said she possibly wouldn’t have made it past 2 years old. All I had to do was be in the hospital for a week and a 5-inch scar.”

So, after six months of testing and paperwork, Kiersten Miles went to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for the 14-hour operation.

Part of her liver was removed and transported to Talia at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The operation was successful and Talia bounced back after only nine days.

Doctors have said both Kiersten and Talia are recovering nicely.

“I didn’t know that she was this selfless. I’ve come to find out that this is who she is,” Talia’s mother Farra Rosko said of her nanny. “She really is an angel on earth; I know that sounds silly, but she really is.”

Now, while she is in recovery, Kiersten is raising awareness of the need for organ donors.

“I can never donate again, so they had to tell me in the future so if I have a child in a similar situation or a different one and they need a liver even if I’m a 100% percent match I can’t donate. You can only donate once”.

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