A mother from Utah underwent surgery to save her newborn son after he narrowly escaped death due to a rare medical condition.
In November 2023, Ashlynn Moss gave birth to her son Luka, and initially, all appeared well.
However, shortly after bringing Luka home from the hospital, she observed his skin and eyes developing a yellowish hue, indicative of jaundice.
Medical professionals quickly determined that Luka’s liver was in a critical state.
“When he was born, he seemed absolutely healthy,” Moss shared. “We had no idea there was an issue until the jaundice intensified.”
Further examinations diagnosed Luka with biliary atresia, a rare liver disorder that obstructs the bile ducts, the small channels responsible for transporting bile from the liver to the small intestine.
Left untreated, it can lead to liver failure.
At just 18 days old, Luka underwent major abdominal surgery known as a ‘Kasai procedure’ in which surgeons connect the liver directly to the intestine to allow bile to drain.
However, the treatment proved unsuccessful and his condition quickly worsened, leaving him malnourished and dependent on a feeding tube.
When Ashlynn Moss from Utah welcomed her son Luka (pictured here) in November 2023, everything seemed perfect. But less than a week after they returned home from the hospital, she noticed her newborn had become severely jaundiced
Tests revealed that Luka had biliary atresia, a rare condition that blocks the bile ducts and can lead to liver failure
‘It was heartbreaking to watch him deteriorate and need so many medical interventions,’ Moss, now 30, said.
By the time Luka was five months old, he was one of the 10,000 or so Americans placed on liver transplant list. While many liver donors are deceased, living people can safely donate up to 70 percent of their liver, as it regrows within weeks.
The entire family underwent testing to find a match. A potential donor was identified, but a flight delay caused the transplant to fall through, a devastating setback as Luka’s health continued to decline.
‘At that point, he was in end-stage liver failure,’ Moss said. ‘You could even smell how sick he was. It was a metallic, rotten scent. It was terrifying.’
A metallic smell from liver disease is caused by the accumulation of toxic substances, like dimethyl sulfide and other compounds, that the damaged liver can no longer filter from the blood.
Just three weeks later, doctors delivered the news the family had been praying for: they had found a perfect match, and it was Moss herself.
Despite given birth via C-section only seven months earlier, the stay-at-home mom didn’t hesitate.
‘I knew it was meant to be me,’ she said. ‘I was ready to do whatever it took to give him another chance at life.’
In June 2024, she underwent a six-hour operation to donate part of her liver.
When she woke up in pain but learned the surgery had gone smoothly, she said the relief was overwhelming.
‘Three days later, I was already drinking protein shakes to help my liver regenerate and on my way to see Luka,’ she said.
Proteins are essential for liver regeneration as they are the building blocks for new tissue and are involved in the signaling pathways that initiate and promote the process.
Dietary proteins, especially lean sources, provide the necessary amino acids for these processes.
Luka’s recovery went better than anyone expected. Early test results showed normal liver function, and after 40 days in the hospital, mother and son finally went home together.
At just 18 days old, Luka, pictured in the hospital with his parents, underwent major abdominal surgery known as a ‘Kasai procedure’ in which surgeons connect the liver directly to the intestine to allow bile to drain
However, the treatment proved unsuccessful and his condition quickly worsened, leaving him malnourished and dependent on a feeding tube. By the time Luka was five months old, he was placed on the liver transplant list
Biliary atresia is a rare but serious liver disease that affects roughly 300 newborns in the US each year.
Normally, bile helps the body digest fats and remove waste products from the liver. In babies with biliary atresia, however, the bile ducts are absent, blocked or damaged, preventing bile from flowing out properly.
As a result, bile builds up inside the liver, causing inflammation, scarring, and eventually liver failure if the condition is not treated.
The exact cause of biliary atresia is not known. It is not inherited, and it is not caused by anything the parents did during pregnancy.
Researchers believe it may be linked to abnormal development of the bile ducts before birth or possibly an immune response that damages them shortly after.
Symptoms typically appear within the first few weeks of life and include persistent jaundice, pale or clay-colored stools, dark urine, an enlarged liver or spleen, and poor growth or weight gain.
Doctors diagnose the condition through a combination of blood tests, imaging scans such as ultrasound, liver biopsy, and sometimes a surgical exploration to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment usually begins with a Kasai operation and if this surgery is unsuccessful, as it was in Luka’s case, liver transplant becomes necessary.
Just three weeks later, doctors delivered the news the family had been praying for: they had found a perfect match – and it was Moss herself. Having given birth via C-section only seven months earlier, the stay-at-home mom didn’t hesitate
More than a year after Luka’s birth, both he and his mom are thriving. Moss said the transplant hasn’t affected her long-term health and calls her scar ‘a battle wound with an incredible story’
Even after treatment, children with biliary atresia require lifelong medical follow-up to monitor their liver function. However, with successful surgery or transplantation, many go on to live normal lives.
Now, more than a year after Luka’s birth, both he and his mom are thriving.
Moss said the transplant hasn’t affected her long-term health and calls her scar ‘a battle wound with an incredible story.’
‘Watching Luka grow and hit his milestones is a dream come true,’ she said. ‘He’s happy, healthy, and doing everything a normal toddler should. We don’t take a single day for granted.’
Moss said she and her son share a bond that can never be broken. ‘We are both healed and thriving and bonded forever,’ she said. ‘He truly is my sunshine boy.’
