Community rallies for North Tonawanda teen in need of a liver transplant
- jmorlock6
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
Update 11/17/2025: Meredith Roberts of North Tonawanda is recovering after received a liver transplant on Saturday. The liver came from a deceased donor. Meredith's mother has reported that the transplant procedure "went very well" and that UPMC doctors are encouraged by the teen’s early response.
Update 11/15/2025: Meredith's family has posted that the transplant center has accepted a liver for her. Update 11/14/2025: Sweet Buffalo and Sara Roberts (Meredith's mom) report that more than 600 people have applied to UPMC's living liver donor program in response to Meredith's story.
Meredith Roberts of North Tonawanda is in need of a liver transplant. The 17-year-old suddenly fell ill and is now being treated at UPMC in Pittsburgh, where she and her family hope that she can soon receive a transplant from a living liver donor.
Her family has shared that the cause is Wilson's disease, a rare genetic disorder. In individuals with Wilson's disease, the body cannot remove excess copper, causing the mineral to build up in the liver, as well as the brain, eyes and other organs.
Her family has been working to share her story. Local media coverage has brought in a wave of support for Meredith, with many people sharing messages of hope, others applying as potential living donors through UPMC, and Sweet Buffalo founder Kimberly LaRussa setting up a fundraiser and a card-writing effort.
Fellow swimmers from the Tonawanda Titans are spreading the word too, asking for support and sharing information about living donation.
Meredith is the granddaughter of a Frontiersmen VFW Post 7545 member, and the post is asking community members to help in a variety of ways.
The Need for Liver Transplants
As of mid-November, more than 9,000 people are active on the waiting list for liver transplants in the United States. More than 3,600 have been waiting for over a year, while many others have become too sick for a transplant while they waiting.
The year 2024 saw a record-breaking high number of liver transplants, with 11,458 people receiving livers. Most came from deceased donors. More than 600 people were living liver donors in 2024.
Donate Life America notes that the principle causes of liver failure include viral infections such as Hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, early-stage liver cancer, hemochromatosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, Wilson’s disease, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, biliary duct atresia, and cystic fibrosis.
Living Liver Donation
In a living-donor liver transplant, part of a healthy liver is removed from a healthy donor. That portion is then transplanted into a sick recipient to replace their own unhealthy liver. The liver has a unique ability to regrow, which allows for this type of living donation. The donor's liver will regenerate, continuing to function for them.
UPMC requires that a living-donor in its liver transplant program must be between the ages of 18 and 60, and in good physical and mental health. To qualify, a prospective donor must have a BMI less than or equal to 32, and not engage in active ongoing drug or substance use. Other information about the process and requirements, as well as the application, are online at https://www.upmc.com/services/transplant/liver/living-donor/candidates.
More on Meredith's story
See coverage of Meredith's story and community support: