TOMS RIVER — When Courtney Olsen saw a Facebook post from two parents searching for a liver donor to save their baby, she thought about her own child.
Then she took the first step toward saving theirs.
Olsen, a teacher at High School South, became a living liver donor for 14-month-old CJ Fischetti, whose rare genetic condition had left him needing a lifesaving transplant.
“As a parent myself, I knew what I hoped anyone would do for my child,” Olsen said. “And I immediately began the organ donor registration process.”
CJ was born with Alagille syndrome, a condition that affects the liver’s bile ducts. His parents, Leanna and Chris Fischetti, both Toms River Regional Schools alumni, began seeking a donor who could meet the compatibility requirements and pass the necessary medical testing.
Jersey Shore Online first covered the family’s plea in April, when CJ was on the active transplant list and his parents were asking the community to help find a living liver donor. Nearly four months later, that search led to a successful transplant and a lasting bond with Olsen.
“Given my blood type and overall good health, I figured I would give it a shot,” she said. “And thank goodness I did.”
On August 6, CJ received his transplant. Both his procedure and Olsen’s donor surgery were successful, creating a bond she describes as “liver buddies for life.”
For the Fischettis, the person who could help their son turned out to be a teacher in the same school district they once attended.
“Two separate Toms River families are now united as one because one TR teacher chose to become a lifesaver,” said CJ’s uncle, Ed Goodman, a physical education teacher at High School East.
Weeks after the transplant, that connection brought an unexpected moment of joy.
On September 19, Olsen and the Fischettis happened to attend the same flag football game. There, she saw CJ smiling, with his transplanted liver working.
“Something in me immediately felt a connection to CJ, and every step of the journey confirmed it,” Olsen said. “The invisible string between CJ and me proved to be true on Sept. 19 when we unexpectedly ran into each other at a flag football game. His liver was working, he was smiling, and our eyes met for the first time.”
The encounter gave Olsen a chance to see the little boy whose life her donation had helped save.
Now, CJ’s family hopes their experience will encourage others to consider living organ donation and draw attention to the need for liver disease research, funding and awareness.
Their message begins with the simple decision Olsen made after reading their plea: Find out whether you can help.
“There were so many signs throughout the process and post-transplant that reinforced this was meant to be,” Olsen said. “And I am truly grateful to have had the ability to give this strong and silly boy what he needed.”
Those wishing to support the family can donate through the GoFundMe.
The post Toms River Teacher Saves Toddler With Liver Donation appeared first on Jersey Shore Online.
