Mo's Transplant Story

Her liver was accidentally “nicked” during a biopsy, causing unnoticed internal bleeding.  A CODE BLUE was called when Mo collapsed one evening and the doctors fought to stabilize her while she lost her pulse four times in a matter of a few hours. The internal bleeding expedited Mo's need for a liver transplant, and doctors told her family there was only a 24-48 hour window for a live-saving transplant. Time was completely against her, but before the end of the day, her medical team got word there was a possible match and started to prep her for a transplant. Early the next morning, May 3, 2012, Mo was the recipient of a miraculous, life-saving liver transplant.

While the transplant was a great success, the worst was actually yet to come.  Within a few days of her transplant, her brain began swelling. Mo had extreme headaches and was seeing flashing colored lights, and hearing voices. After an MRI, Mo's medical team discovered that she had contracted a lethal fungal infection, caused in part to the immunosuppression required after an organ transplant.  The only option for survival was a very risky brain operation. 

On May 23, 2012, three-weeks after her life-saving liver transplant, Mo had her first craniotomy. Doctors were unable to remove the infection in it's entirety, because there was a severe risk of blindness, loss of speech, and death. She was started on an aggressive treatment of Amphoteracin B, an anti-fungal treatment and Voriconizole for the next 10 days, but another MRI showed the infection remained, and a second craniotomy was necessary. The second brain surgery was even more risky, as Mo had already had two major surgeries within the last five weeks and her body was still immunosuppressed so it wouldn't reject her new organ transplant. The location of the infection also posed dangerous risks, but Mo survived despite the heavy odds against her. Invasive aspergillosis in patients with weakened immune systems, experienced a 99.9 % mortality rate at the time. Mo's infectious disease doctor at Yale, Dr. Topal, said, "You can count on one hand, worldwide, the number of immuno-compromised patients who have survived this infection."

She received her transplant from an anonymous donor, who she was unable to thank in person, so she gives thanks and shows gratitude by advocating for organ donation. She volunteered for Donate Life CT, and formed several teams to walk and raise money and awareness for the American Liver Foundation. Mo also met and was featured in a television package with her transplant idol, two-time heart recipient and PGA Tour Player, Erik Compton. In 2014, Mo joined the Transplant Team of Connecticut and trained to compete for the 2014 Transplant Games of America (Houston, TX). Mo competed in the Organ Recipient Ages 20-29 division, and won a Gold in Golf, a Silver in Table Tennis, and a Silver in the 5K with a time of 28:53.
 

After her move to Raleigh, Mo became a volunteer for Donate Life NC. She wanted to tie in her connections and experience with golf to raise awareness about organ donation. From the ground-up, Mo grew a group of supporters, volunteers, sponsors, and Spectrum News to pull-off the first-ever Donate Life NC Charity golf outing, "Just Say Mo Donate Life Golf Fore Charity Outing". The event was tremendously supported by friends, family, sponsors, members at WP, and even her medical team (her transplant surgeon flew in from Utah)! Mo and her supporters raised $11,000 for Donate Life NC.

Mo continues raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and spreading the word in Florida where she hopes to one day team-up with Erik Compton for a charity golf-related event to raise awareness.