In January 2006, Leiauna Anderson was seven months pregnant when her baby died in utero. During the subsequent C-section, doctors discovered two liters of blood in Leiauna’s abdomen caused by a ruptured liver. Two liver transplants within the following week – one non-compatible but buying precious time – saved her life. Thanks to the gifts she received from strangers and a surrogate carrier, Leiauna and her husband were able to realize their dream of becoming parents with the arrival of son Rex in 2008.

Leiauna's Story

In January 2006, special education teacher Leiauna Anderson and her husband, Jeff, were expecting their first child. Leiauna was getting ready for bed when she noticed that her unborn baby had not moved in a while. She went to the hospital where an ultrasound was performed. The nurse looked down at Leiauna and said, “I’m sorry honey, there’s no heartbeat.” She was seven months pregnant and her baby had died. Leiauna’s blood pressure was extremely high, and she had developed pre-eclampsia.

In the morning after a long night stabilizing Leiauna’s vital signs, her blood pressure began to drop very quickly. A C-section was performed immediately, and doctors discovered two liters of blood in Leiauna’s abdomen.

“I had lost my baby and now I was facing losing my own life,” said Leiauna, now 37. “Fortunately, I received a liver in three days, but there were complications and I was placed on the list for a second time. Nonetheless, that first liver saved my life.”

A few days later, Leiauna received her second liver transplant in less than a week. It was a very good match and, after spending three months in the hospital, Leiauna was sent home and on the road to recovery.

In early November 2008, Leiauna and her husband had the privilege of meeting the family of her second liver donor, Sheila Donnelly. Sheila was from Hemet, CA, and was 19 years old when she passed away.

When Leiauna asked her doctors if she could still get pregnant, they said that it was possible, but that she shouldn’t because there was a very good chance that it could be life-threatening. Determined to become a mother, Leiauna researched her options.

“I was fortunate enough, though, to undergo an in-vitro fertilization procedure, and with the help of a surrogate carrier, I was able to finally realize my dream of becoming a mother,” she said. “Our son Rex is now two years old and has given me a new purpose in life. The gifts I received from strangers made the all the difference in whether or not I lived and ultimately gave me the opportunity to become a mother.”

In 2007, Leiauna participated in her first Donate Life Run/Walk and was inspired to become a volunteer Donate Life Ambassador. Leiauna is now the Regional Lead Ambassador for west Los Angeles County and loves helping other volunteers go out into the community to inspire others to become registered organ and tissue donors.