Two-year-old Grace Camille recovering well after liver transplant |09 August 2017

Almost three months after her liver transplant surgery, two-year-old Grace Camille from Anse Kerlan Praslin is recovering well, her mother Mariza Camille has said.

It was in mid May this year that Grace, who was suffering from a liver condition, underwent the 15-hour surgery at the Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (MIOT) Hospital in  Chennai, India where she had been admitted several weeks before for preliminary treatment before the surgery itself.

Grace was born without bile ducts, a condition called biliary atresia. She developed severe jaundice soon after birth as a result. The family took the little girl to Sri Lanka for corrective surgery where artificial bile ducts were inserted but her mother said this did not work and she continued to be sick.

“Grace was not like other little girls, she cried a lot and she could even cry for a whole day. Her eyes were yellow, she had a distended belly and she would not play but cling to me,” her mother recalled.

“But now all this has changed and almost three months after the surgery Grace is a lively and very active little girl doing all the things that a child her age would do,” her mother Mariza said happily.

But she also admits that she has to be very watchful over what she eats and drinks as there are still a number of doctors’ guidelines and advice which must be strictly followed in relation to the medication she has to take as a liver transplant patient. Above that for the first three months following the transplant Grace has to fast for three hours in the morning and evening as the medication has to be taken on an empty stomach. As of the fourth month the fasting will be reduced to 45 minutes only. She also needs to do blood tests three times a month to assess the medication level in her blood,” Mariza said.

For the first year after her transplant she also has to go back to MIOT for a complete review every three months but her mother noted that after that period the review will be done twice a year.

“Her next thorough review is now due next month,” Mariza said.

It is to be recalled that Mariza too had to undergo an 11-hour surgery to remove part of her liver and bile ducts to transplant on her daughter so how is her health?

“I am really doing great. I have no pain except for a little numbness near the scar and for this I am really grateful to God,” she said.

Mariza, a social welfare officer, is still on sick leave too but she is also looking after her daughter who even though being very active and well still needs a lot of care.

Availing of this opportunity Mariza has extended heartfelt gratitude to her family and the country as a whole who have been praying for little Grace, herself and her family in this challenging time.

“My family and I were really touched by all the support we received. Thank you everyone, thank you all, thank you Seychelles. We were really touched by the flow of compassion. Mr Clifford Mondon and ‘Make A child Smile’ thank you for everything,” Mariza said.