A small child requires a donated organ. - Brothers seek liver transplant for three-year-old Bentje.
After learning about Bentje's condition, her family has been living in limbo, caught between fear and hope. They lead a double life, balancing their normal routines with frequent trips to the hospital.
Bentje's parents reveal, "The life-saving call could come at any time. But we've been waiting for over three years now. Some days, she's feeling better, while others she's worse. We're trying to provide a normal life for her, but also need to ensure she doesn't catch anything at kindergarten."
The older siblings, Henry (10) and Felix (7), fervently wished for a liver for their sister during Christmas.
Emotional Roller Coaster
The wait for a transplant almost ended in June 2023. The hospital called with the news that a liver was available for Bentje. Within 45 minutes, an ambulance arrived at their door to take her for the surgery.
Mother Maren recounts, "I couldn't believe it: Our daughter is finally getting an organ. But I was also nervous that she would make it through the transplant. It was traumatizing, though, to learn another child had died to provide Bentje with this opportunity."
Just before, the liver was set to go to another child. In early May, the same scenario took place. The doctors abruptly informed them that the liver was too large for Bentje.
"We don't wish for another child's death"
For Bentje to recover, another child has to pass away. A partial liver donation cannot occur due to her non-functioning liver artery.
The family emphasizes, "We don't wish for another child's death. Absolutely not. We hope that the grieving parents make a rational decision."
Would Maren and Kai donate their children's organs?
"We never thought we'd need a donor organ, especially not for our own children. We've always considered ourselves donors. Suddenly, everything changed. Our outlook on the entire issue has been transformed. Let's hope we'll never have to make that choice. Yet, if a situation arises, we'd give our deceased child's organs. We'd make a rational decision in our grief."
