Israel: 4 children saved in a marathon transplant in less than 24 hours

Clalit Schneider Children's Medical Center. @Schneider Spokesperson

A remarkable medical achievement took place this week at the Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel. In less than 24 hours, four children from different parts of the country were saved thanks to an exceptional series of organ transplants.

During this medical marathon, a 9-year-old girl received a liver transplant, an 18-year-old young woman and a two-and-a-half-year-old boy each underwent kidney transplants, while a three-and-a-half-year-old child had his life saved through a heart transplant. The procedures followed one another in the hospital’s operating rooms, mobilizing entire medical teams.

For Efrat Bron-Harlev, CEO of the hospital, the event goes beyond the strictly medical dimension: “This week, Schneider carried out a major and deeply moving transplant marathon that saved four children. We share the grief of the bereaved family and thank them from the bottom of our hearts for this act of generosity.”

Behind these operations lies the organ donation of a young girl, Shabaa, whose passing made it possible to save several lives.

“We wish to express our deepest gratitude to Shabaa’s family. Although their daughter’s life was tragically cut short, she gave life to ours. My daughter Noor suffered for more than four years from extremely difficult dialysis treatments and had lost hope. A part of your daughter will live on in her forever,” said the father of one of the recipients.

The Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel is among the few pediatric hospitals in the world capable of performing multiple organ transplants simultaneously. Since its founding, it has carried out hundreds of transplants in infants, children, and adolescents, including heart, lung, liver, and kidney procedures, with success rates comparable to those of leading international medical centers.

Caroline Haïat