Three Months Later: Landmark Pediatric Liver Transplant Case Doing Great

Last April 7 marked the third month since Catherine Erica Buenaventura’s landmark life-saving surgery, just a week short of her fourth birthday. Her mother Carmela and siblings in tow, she arrived at The Medical City (TMC) that morning for her semi-weekly check-up looking worlds better than she ever had—her once-yellowed skin now a healthy brown; her abdomen no longer bloated, but plump from a healthy appetite; her arms and legs thicker and stronger. Not too long ago, doctors from other hospitals told Erica’s parents that their daughter wouldn’t have long to live; now, it seems the team from TMC’s Center for Liver Disease Management and Transplantation (CLDMT) has proven them wrong.

Erica, who suffered from end-stage liver disease complicated by portal hypertension, underwent the first pediatric liver transplantation in the country performed by an all-Filipino team last January 7. Her attending physician was expert liver transplant surgeon and CLDMT Director Vanessa H. de Villa, and the rest of her medical team was comprised of various specialists, such as pediatric hepatologists, gastroenterologists and intensivists, in keeping with TMC’s multidisciplinary approach to health care. Her donor was her 18-year-old uncle, Jefferson Llantino, who selflessly volunteered at the 11th hour, and the costs for her treatment were shouldered mainly by TMC and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
The 16-hour surgery had gone well, and Erica had returned to her home in Bulacan several weeks after. She started frequenting TMC for check-ups and physical rehabilitation sessions once a week, and after getting healthier and healthier, was advised to visit only every other week. She also continues to be on intensive medication which, over time, would soon be tapered down along with her visits.

“Passing the three-month mark is a definite milestone,” said Dr. de Villa. “We are thrilled to see Erica progress so well, and admire her determination to be more active, to experience all the things children her age experience. She’s had that fighting spirit from the start.”

Erica herself had remarked before getting discharged that she hoped to play and go to school upon recovery. It seems that her goals are truly within reach.

“She’s been so lively ever since we got back,” Carmela recounted. “She loves playing with her siblings, and is quickly learning how to walk on her own. She’s such a chatterbox, too! Being active has also given her a great appetite; her favorite dish is sinigang na baboy with plenty of sitaw and kangkong. And when before she would get cranky easily, she’s now a very happy kid.”

Towards the end of this interview, Erica had fallen sound asleep in her sister’s lap, a calm, self-possessed expression on her face. A fragile, irritable baby when she first arrived, she is now the image of health and confidence, as if she herself was certain of the bright future ahead—starting with her upcoming birthday.

“We didn’t make a mistake coming to TMC,” Carmela added. “We’ve been constantly getting the full support of the staff, and we can see how much love and compassion they have for every patient. We’ll always be very grateful to them for giving Erica a true chance at life.”

A few weeks later, on April 19, TMC threw a surprise birthday party for Erica right after her checkup. Present were the many individuals responsible for her treatment—PCSO Chair Margie Juico and PCSO General Manager Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Roxas II; an inspired uncle Jeff, who now plans to study nursing upon graduation; and TMC’s medical and non-medical staff, whose lives were truly touched by this remarkable girl. Also present were Dr. de Villa’s previous liver transplant patients, looking healthy and fit many years after their operations in Hong Kong or Taiwan, and patients in line for transplantation at the CLDMT. It was a truly happy occasion for all, and the perfect way to mark the beginning of a brand-new life—for Erica, and for quality liver care in the Philippines.

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