Parents Race To Find liver transplant For 7-Month-Old Removed From List
USA: Barrett, a 7-month-old boy from Kearney, Missouri, was removed as a candidate for a liver transplant at children’s Mercy in Kansas City, and his parents are urgently seeking another center willing to evaluate him. The infant remains hospitalized and supported by a ventilator while clinicians weigh options for his care.
Barrett was born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect that required surgery; he survived the repair and subsequent infections but later developed liver failure that led to placement on the transplant list. In March, the care team at children’s Mercy determined he was too ill to proceed with a liver transplant there, leaving the family racing for alternatives.
Both parents, Wesley and Ashley, who have backgrounds in health care—Ashley is a nurse practitioner—have contacted about 10 hospitals and are awaiting responses. They say clinicians have described Barrett as critically ill and that without a successful transplantation he is unlikely to survive; they are pursuing every possible evaluation and transfer to secure more time and a chance at surgery.
A family friend has organized sales of “Barrett Strong” hats and shirts, with proceeds directed to the family as they navigate urgent decisions and transfer logistics. The couple asks that medical centers, transplant teams, and clinicians who may offer evaluation or transfer pathways contact them, and they continue to seek any leads that could permit a life-saving liver transplantation for their son.
Video originally published on 2026-03-24 19:33:11
