To all of you who have taken up Sarah’s cause and signed this petition to change the Under 12 Rule – thank you! Your incredible efforts have helped change policy and save lives.
On June 10, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) board unanimously passed a resolution to allow children under 12 to be considered for the adult lung transplant list on a case-by-case basis by OPTN’s Lung Review Board.
Three days before, a federal judge had granted Sarah and another boy – Javier Acosta, who is also in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with end-stage cystic fibrosis – a temporary restraining order that allowed them to be considered for an adult lung transplant based on their Lung Allocation Scores (LAS).
On June 13, we received news that adult donor lungs became available and Sarah received a lung transplant.
Sarah got lungs quickly after going to the adult list because her LAS finally mattered and she was the sickest one on the list. She had an LAS of 91 out of 100 when transplanted.
We are in the early stages of recovery and Sarah’s battle has been rough, but we’re continuing to fight.
As difficult as this process has been post-surgery, we appreciate that OPTN has now opened the door for other children in Sarah’s unique position to become eligible for adult lung transplant.
The OPTN’s decision does not mean that children under 12 will automatically go to the front of the transplant line. They will not receive special treatment, but they will now be placed on the waiting list based on the severity of their illness the same way people 12 and over are listed.
We hope Sarah’s story moves people to become organ donors, because more than any ruling, it is the heroes who donate their organs that save lives.
God bless you all for standing by Sarah. Thank you to Congressman Pat Meehan, Senator Pat Toomey, Senator Bob Casey, Congressman Lou Barletta, Governor Tom Corbett and all of the other elected officials who fought to change the Under 12 Rule. To all of Sarah’s supporters who signed this Change.org petition, we thank you and ask for your continued prayers in support of Sarah and all people waiting for organ transplants.
Gratefully,
Janet, Fran, Sarah, Ella, Sean and Finn Murnaghan