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The gift of life: A living liver donation story
During Donate Life Month, Ochsner Health honors a remarkable living donor who gave a young girl a second chance at life.
NEW ORLEANS - April marks the beginning of National Donate Life Month. It is a time to celebrate the incredible individuals who give the gift of life through living organ donation. This month, the Ochsner Transplant Institute honors Erin D., a remarkable living donor whose generosity has given two people a second chance at life.
Erin’s journey began when her first husband’s brother returned from a military deployment and discovered he had polycystic kidney disease. He was in kidney failure and needed a transplant. Erin learned about the donation process and became an altruistic kidney donor to save his life.
Years later, Erin felt called to give again. She decided to celebrate her upcoming 50th birthday by doing something meaningful. After learning that the Ochsner Transplant Institute is the only center in Louisiana performing pediatric living liver donations, she stepped forward. As a national leader in care, the Ochsner Transplant Institute performs more than 125 liver transplants each year, offering expert management of health for patients across the region.
Erin was approved to donate a portion of her liver to a young girl named Ember T. on April 2, 2025. Erin explains her motivation clearly: “Luke 12:48 says ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ I have been incredibly blessed by God with good health, a strong support system, and the ability to tolerate pain or discomfort with grace. I believe that if there is a way to help, I should help.”
One of the most meaningful moments of her journey happened after the surgery. Erin finally met Ember. She remembers the little girl running up to her in a pink princess dress and simply saying, “Hi, I’m Ember!”
Through her experience, Erin says her perspective on health has changed. “I think good health is a gift that people take for granted in many ways. I also think good health is a responsibility. We need to be stewards of our bodies, not for vanity or superficial reasons, but because our bodies sustain life and could ultimately save the life of another.”
Reflecting on her decision, Erin shares a powerful message. “It is such an indescribable feeling to save a life, and it eclipses any pain or discomfort that might come with the act of living donation. It will forever change you. It is not always easy, but it is definitely worth it!”
Erin’s story of giving continues today. She recently registered to be a bone marrow donor, ready to help again if the opportunity arises. Ochsner Health celebrates heroes like Erin, whose courage and compassion remind us that one person truly can make a lifetime of difference.
To learn more about the Living Organ Donor Program and how to become a living donor, visit Save 9 | Ochsner Health.
About Ochsner Health
Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in Louisiana, Mississippi and across the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. Ochsner is nationally recognized for inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities through expertise, quality and digital connectivity. In 2025, more than 40,000 dedicated team members and 5,000 employed and affiliated physicians at Ochsner cared for more than 1.6 million people from every state in the nation and 65 countries. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit www.ochsner.org.
