Maricela Olivas, a mother from New Mexico, spent over five years battling worsening liver disease before arriving at Mayo Clinic in Arizona with a life-threatening condition.
“I see a door. I see a big door. I said, ‘This is my opportunity,’” she recalled, describing the moment she realized a transplant might save her life.
Maricela needed a liver transplant and had also developed hepatopulmonary syndrome, a rare complication that impaired her body’s ability to absorb oxygen. Dr. Bashar Aqel, chair of the Transplant Center at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, said her condition was critical upon arrival.
“In her case, because of her liver disease, the blood was shunted away from her lungs, so she was not able to maintain the oxygenation of her body,” he explained.
Without timely intervention, her survival prospects were grim. “Most likely, we’re talking about only a few months of survival with her liver, if her liver disease and her hepatopulmonary syndrome were not addressed in a timely manner,” Dr. Aqel added.
Maricela had previously been denied treatment at other transplant centers due to the complexity of her case. At the clinic, specialists from multiple disciplines collaborated to build a care plan.
“We have gathered a team of experts across multiple disciplines, surgeons, medical providers, nurses, nutritionists, social workers, and many, many others, they work together in harmony,” he said.
A key component of her treatment was extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an advanced life support system. “It’s a support system that will help to complement the work of the heart and the lungs when somebody is extremely sick,” he noted.
Maricela received her liver transplant in April 2026. Her recovery was lengthy, spending more than 100 days in the hospital before being discharged in early August.
As she left the facility, staff lined the hallway to cheer and applaud. “At the end of the line, I was jumping like crazy. I don’t know how I get energy to jump, and I was happy,” she said.