A dying woman has been refused a partial liver transplant after doctors discovered something alarming before the operation.
Amanda Husk has been on life support at a hospital in Ontario for the past three months awaiting an operation that was hopefully going to save her life thanks to a generous organ donation from her partner.
Nathan Allen opened up about the decision, telling CTV News that "This was a wakeup call for her..." after the 36-year-old's battle with alcohol addiction.
"She wanted to make every advantage and every opportunity to make sure she could get this transplant and turn her life around," he added.
However, after she was transferred for a liver transplant to the University Health Network, things took a turn when her application was rejected.
Medical professionals at the facility discovered that the former recovering alcoholic had relapsed shortly before the operation, which automatically means that the procedure was put on halt.
In documents shared with CTV News, details revealed that Husk was declined after the Alcohol Liver Disease team at UHN reviewed her medical information and conducted a psychological review, noting their decision was based on "minimal abstinence outside of [the] hospital."
Husk has been battling issues with alcohol since she was a teenager but has recently signed up for a program to aid in her recovery after the operation is completed in order to minimize the chances of relapse.
With only weeks to live, Allen is now changing his direction to get his lover the help she needs, hoping that they'll have a better chance in Europe.
"We were told last week that she has a couple of weeks left to live maybe a month if she's very lucky," Allen said explaining the treatment could cost $300,000. "I will do whatever I can to save her life, just like the medical profession should be doing here."
Speaking to the outlet, Debra Selkirk a campaigner for more compassion toward those with liver failure from alcohol abuse, noted that it's a difficult process from start to finish.
"People aren't turned away because they didn't exercise or because they work too much or they don't get enough sleep or they didn't follow doctor's orders. So, in Nathan and Amanda's case, you're seeing someone being told, 'You didn't follow doctor's orders, so we're not going to help you. We're going to let you die,'" she said.
Selkirk's husband Mark was also denied a transplant because of his drinking and unfortunately died of liver failure in 2010.
Edmonton liver transplant surgeon, Dr. Saumya Jayakumar, explained that the criteria for transplants are usually the same all across Canada.
"It's a precious gift. It's a limited resource," she said. "As you can imagine, making these decisions can result in a significant amount of moral distress with members of the team."
She continued: "We can give you a brand new liver, but if we're not able to change all of the circumstances that led to the liver failing, then have we really done you a service?
"I would say every single Transplant Center in Canada is having difficulty with both access to mental health funding for patients, as well as having access to mental health practitioners for transplant programs," Jayakumar added.
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