She donated a liver to a brother from another mother

They grew up separated by two houses. Their mothers were friends before they were born. When her childhood friend needed a liver transplant, Andrhea Wilkins stepped forward.

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist, tfender1@iuhealth.org

Andrhea Wilkins remembers her best friend’s big brother as a typical older sibling - picking on the girls. Now, with three daughters of his own, Michael Short wants his children to have those “typical” friendships. He doesn’t take a day for granted.

“I’ve known Michaels’s sister since preschool. Michael is two years older than us. We grew up next to each other so either I was at her house or she was at mine. It was like we were all siblings,” said Wilkins, 37, of Mooresville, Ind. Like Short, she too, is a parent. Married to Justin, for 13 years, she has four children.

When Wilkins learned that Short needed a liver transplant all she could think of was: “I want him to see his children grow up.” Short, 39, of Bargersville, Ind., is a nurse, who once worked at IU Health Methodist Hospital in the cardiac cath lab.

“I remember learning about the liver being the only organ that would regrow, but at the time, I didn’t even know IU Health was doing living liver transplants,” said Short.

Living donors reduce or eliminate the need for patients to spend years waiting for a deceased donor liver transplant. By donating a portion of their liver, living donors also help increase the number of livers available for those still on the waiting list.

An organ from a living donor can function better and last longer because the donor is healthy. It also functions better because the organ is transplanted into the recipient shortly after being removed from the donor. Because of these factors, patients receiving an organ from a living donor often have better outcomes than patients receiving an organ from a deceased donor.

To ensure the best outcomes, living donors undergo an initial screening, multiple tests and evaluations. The transplant involves removing a portion of the donor’s liver and then using it to replace the deceased liver in the recipient. The liver regenerates and returns to full function within a month.

Leading up to Short’s transplant, he had been extremely ill. Over time, toxins built up in his system - his liver no longer worked as a filter. Eventually, he was diagnosed with Stage Four cirrhosis, the result of a genetic disorder, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). When Short needed a new liver, his sister initially tested but discovered she was not a viable match.

Living donors do not have to be related to the recipient. Compatibility is based on blood type. Age and size are also taken into consideration.

That’s when Wilkins stepped in.

“I remember the day I heard the news from my mom that my best friend would not be the one to save her brother’s life. She felt like a failure, to no fault of her own, that she would not personally be the one to save him. He was crushed – terrified of not being there to watch his two daughters grow up. I cannot imagine the thoughts going through either of their heads at the time,” said Wilkins, who lost her father at a young age.

She called Short’s sister, her lifetime friend and said: “Your brother has two little girls that are right around the age I was when my dad died, and if I can do something to save their daddy – so he can watch them graduate, walk them down the aisle at their wedding, hold his grandchildren - then I’m going to do it.”

Once the testing was completed and Wilkins was approved as a match, the transplant was scheduled. In the care of Dr. Chandrashekhar Kubal, the transplant took place on Sept, 6, 2022. Wilkins remained hospitalized for four days. Short was hospitalized for six days.

“I have some limitations, but I’m alive,” said Short. He sends texts to Wilkins often to remind her she is an “amazing woman, friend, and human being.”

Since his recovery, Short said he wants to make up for all the time he lost when he was sick. For the first time, he enjoyed a vacation with is daughters, and enjoys the typical things like taking them to and from school and softball practices and games.

There are also a few jokes between Short and his donor. Wilkins made them both drinking cups for their recovery. Her cup reads: “Did you call me chopped liver?” Short’s reads: “I only wanted a sliver.”