A New Mexico woman was in desperate need of expert medical care. To get the transplant she needed, she became a transplant herself.
Baylor Scott & White is the reason I am here,” remarked Jennifer Andreas—and she means that in more ways than one.
An autoimmune condition called hypogammaglobulinemia kept Jennifer’s body from being able to make the antibodies her immune system needs. In addition to leaving her more prone to infections, the condition also impacted her liver. Jennifer lived in New Mexico and sought care there, and also consulted with physicians across the country. Her health continued to decline, and it became apparent she would need a liver transplant.
“We have been told probably 20 times that she would die,” remembers Jennifer’s mother, Jeannine Daniels. “Her case was so complicated, no one else would take her.” A physician with the National Institutes of Health recommended she look into Baylor Scott & White Health.
Baylor Scott & White Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute is made up of an esteemed group of transplant specialists on the medical staff—surgeons, hepatologists, nephrologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists and other transplant experts—who are committed to addressing some of the toughest questions within a complex field of medicine. Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas (BUMC) and Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth together have completed more than 13,000 solid organ transplants, establishing a reputation for excellence and innovation in research, patient care and education. The team agreed to take Jennifer’s case.
“Jennifer’s case reflects the reality of transplantation nowadays. The Simmons Transplant Institute is willing and ready to accept and transplant patients like Jennifer who require complex multidisciplinary clinical care to have their life restored,” says Giuliano Testa, MD, chief of Abdominal Transplant at Baylor University Medical Center and chairman of the Baylor Scott & White Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute.
Jennifer and her family made the move to Dallas to be close to Baylor Scott & White. The care she received at BUMC helped her get well enough to qualify for a place on the wait list for a liver transplant. In September of 2021, she received the lifesaving gift if transplantation via a 12-hour surgery that required great skill from her experienced medical team.
She received her new liver and was able to celebrate Thanksgiving at her new home in Dallas, where she continues to recover. She is grateful for the expertise of her care team at Baylor Scott & White, and for the selflessness of the donor whose liver will allow Jennifer to enjoy her new home in North Texas.
“There’s no comparison in the level of care here compared to other places—and not only the doctors, but also the nursing staffs. They are so thoughtful and caring,” Jennifer says, recalling visits from her physicians every single day—even on weekends—as she recovered. The prayers and Bible verses Jennifer received from staff lifted her spirits, and the line of nurses waving pom-poms to cheer her on as she entered surgery to receive her transplant will stay with her forever. “That extra level of care helps in the healing process,” Jennifer says. “As a patient, you are grateful for every donor dollar that has helped build this center of excellence.”
Jennifer is mother to two boys, both of whom attend middle school in Dallas and are thriving in their new lives in North Texas. While Jennifer recovers, she dreams of volunteering at her children’s school and finding ways to give back to Baylor Scott & White and to her new hometown that has received her with open arms. “They stepped in as a community and prayed and called and volunteered their time,” she says. “The community is just amazing and has made me feel so welcome.”
For information on how you can support transplant initiatives that will help advance research, treatment and care for patients in the future, please call 214.820.3136.
