Thread by @WajahatAli

Allow me to interrupt the chaos with joyous news: Nusayba has a new liver in her belly! She underwent liver surgery yesterday thanks to an anonymous live donor. Both her & the donor are recovering nicely. She woke up today, recognized us, said a few words & is now sleeping. 1/

We waited to share the good news until the donor was confirmed, the surgery was completed and she woke up after the first night, usually the most critical post-surgery stage. We're in the hospital now and she has to be here to recover for a week or two (or less we hope!) 2/

I fortuitously encountered the donor’s family at the hospital. They want to be anonymous for now. They just wanted to do a good deed for a baby girl. One of the donor’s first questions after waking up was, “When can I donate blood again?” 3/

I told the donor’s family my life belongs to them and begged them to tell me how I can repay them. They just said to pray for the donor, their family member, and they wanted Nusayba to live a long, healthy life. There’s still much goodness in the world. Don't lose hope, ever. 4/

Thank you to everyone who has helped my family during this ordeal. There were over 500 donor applicants, mostly strangers. (Amazing!!!) People donated money, sent beautiful messages and texts and check up on Nusayba almost daily. 5/

I hope no child ever has to endure cancer. It’s a brutal son of a bitch that plays for all the marbles and disrupts families, finances & relationships. Nusayba still has a ways to go, but we take it step by step. She just crossed MAJOR hurdles. We remain eternally grateful. 6/

I believe in God and accept all thoughts and prayers, but I also believe in science. If it wasn’t for the Georgetown Transplant team, Children’s Hospital, the living donor program and research on child cancer, Nusayba wouldn’t have made it. God is indeed Great. 7/

Please consider being a living donor. You can give a piece of your liver (It grows back!) or a kidney (You only need 1!) & save a life. You can also donate blood & bone marrow. You can donate money instead of body parts if you’re so inclined to cancer or transplant research. 8/

With $2 to 10 million, Georgetown can expand their living donor program. It’s nothing when you think about similar programs across the nation. If you’re one of those donors, really consider investing in this. It can & will save so many families. 9/

My wife Sarah, a superstar, has given up her work and basically been by Nusayba’s side since April. She says, “To all who applied as donors, it’s as if you gave a piece of your liver to Nusayba. The act alone means the world to us.”

10/

Our son Ibrahim has been the sweetest, most thoughtful older brother. Nusayba has a second chance at life thanks to this donor. This bunny was used to show her what she’d look like after the transplant but she’s much cuter. She’s alive & recovering. My life is complete.

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