On November 9, 1997, our third child, Bernard Thomas, was born…the perfect addition to his two older sisters. At just six weeks old, Bernie was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a rare liver disease that destroys the liver ducts which remove bile from the liver.

Just days later, Bernie under went surgery to drain bile from his liver, in hopes of delaying his inevitable need for a transplant. However, the advanced stage of Bernie’s disease forced the need for a full liver transplant earlier than we had hoped. As donated organs are extremely scarce, we turned to a living donor. On March 31, 1998, Bernie received a portion of his mother’s liver, truly a gift of life.

Due to his vibrant personality and love of life, one would never suspect the many bumps in the road that Bernie, and our family have encountered.
Our lives are filled with doctors, medications and tests; accompanied by many emotional highs and lows.

Through everything Bernie has stood strong and courageous, never complaining. We are so very proud of Bernie and from him we gain and hold onto our unyielding hope for the future. While our love for Bernie inspired the creation of The Liver Foundation
For Kids, the organizations’ mission is to provide hope to all children afflicted with liver disease, and hope for their families.

Board Members and Officers

Elizabeth O’Donnell, RN - President
Bernard O’Donnell - Treasurer
Maureen O’Boyle - Secretary
Judith Dolan, RN
Thomas Dolan
Jane Whittle
Laura Mahoney
Peter Theodore
Beth Selig
Alice O'Donnell

P.O. Box 372 Lemont, Il. 60439 | 630.415.3566 | info@theliverfoundationforkids.org