{"id":521300,"date":"2026-08-13T10:39:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T14:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.net\/en\/uncategorized\/costa-rican-mother-faces-cancer-thanks-to-a-liver-transplant-donated-by-her-son\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T10:39:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T14:39:52","slug":"costa-rican-mother-faces-cancer-thanks-to-a-liver-transplant-donated-by-her-son","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/international\/costa-rican-mother-faces-cancer-thanks-to-a-liver-transplant-donated-by-her-son\/","title":{"rendered":"Costa Rican mother faces cancer thanks to a liver transplant donated by her son"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Costa Rican mother and entrepreneur Carolina Espinoza<\/strong> received a living-donor liver transplant on March 2nd thanks to one of her children, which allowed her to improve her health after a battle of more than five years against colorectal cancer with liver metastasis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Espinoza, 52, underwent multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and immunotherapy sessions, and other treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He even participated in research protocols in the United States, but the cancer reappeared when therapeutic options were running out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After being evaluated by specialists, she was referred to Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital in Florida (United States), where a multidisciplinary team determined that the best alternative for her treatment was a living-donor liver transplant, in this case, from a compatible relative willing to donate to avoid delays associated with waiting for a deceased donor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cleveland Clinic’s Transplant Center is one of the leading providers of heart, kidney, and liver transplants in South Florida, and one of the few centers in the state with living donor programs for both kidney and liver transplantation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date, the center has performed 1,686 kidney transplants, 712 liver transplants, and 384 heart transplants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“When I knew that the possibility of a transplant existed, I felt happy because it meant a chance to keep living,” recalled Espinoza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS),<\/a><\/em> each year in the United States, nearly 3,000 people die or become severely ill while waiting for an organ transplant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The donation process<\/strong> to the mother<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sof\u00eda, 31, and Santiago, 26, Espinoza’s two children, offered themselves as potential donors and, after a medical and psychosocial evaluation, the young man was chosen as the compatible donor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I had doubts, I wanted to make sure my son was okay. I even sought a second opinion in Costa Rica, but for Santiago there were never any doubts: he wanted to help me,” recounted Espinoza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antonio Pinna, director of the Abdominal Transplant Center and the Living Donor Liver Transplant program at Cleveland Clinic Weston, explained that evaluating a donor is an exhaustive process that begins with blood tests to assess compatibility and includes tests to examine the liver’s anatomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, he pointed out that the psychosocial evaluation of the donor is as important as the medical one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We want to ensure that the person understands the risks and benefits of donating, that they make the decision voluntarily, and that they have the necessary emotional support during their recovery,” he\/she indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The transplant was performed in March and, although Carolina’s recovery was complex due to previous medical procedures and limitations in pain management, it was successful, as was Santiago’s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Seeing my son willing to undergo surgery to save my life was something impossible to describe,” stated Espinoza, who now enjoys a quality of life that seemed unattainable during the most difficult years of his illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New opportunities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Espinoza revealed that her case was so complex that at times \u201ceven the doctors didn\u2019t think I would make it this far\u201d<\/strong>, but she always maintained her will to live, to recover, and to continue sharing with her mother<\/strong> and the rest of her family. For Carolina, the support of her mother<\/strong> during the process was fundamental and became one of her main sources of strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pinna, for his part, encouraged patients waiting for a liver transplant to keep hope alive and invited those considering becoming living donors<\/strong> to learn about the process and contact specialists. For many families, the possibility of a living donation can represent an opportunity for a mother<\/strong>, a child, a father, or a loved one to receive the organ they need in less time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to UNOS figures, there are currently about 14,000 people in U.S. territory who are on a waiting list for a liver transplant. The situation represents a challenge for patients and families who are waiting for an opportunity to regain their health and continue sharing moments with their loved ones, especially when it comes to a mother<\/strong> who wishes to continue accompanying her children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAdvances in this field have made it possible to help more patients than ever before, and living donation has become an option that can shorten waiting times and save lives,\u201d concluded Pinna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several months after her transplant, Carolina says she feels optimistic and grateful for every moment shared with her family. The experience has also allowed her to value even more the time spent with her mother<\/strong> and loved ones. She now hopes that her story will help raise awareness about the importance of living donation and the opportunities that a transplant can offer to patients who, like her, are fighting to enjoy life again with their mother and family<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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