Ohio woman gets much-needed liver transplant at Cleveland Clinic

CLEVELAND - A 21-year-old Ohio woman who survived cancer is now getting a new liver at the Cleveland Clinic.

Chelsea Lingenfelter had liver cancer as a child and survived with a partial liver transplant from her mother. But even with the cancer gone, transplant complications left the liver scarred and damaged.

Lingenfelter needs dialysis several times a week and is extremely jaundiced. Doctors said she needs a full-size liver this time. Earlier this month, Lingenfelter’s mother, Joni, said another family would have to find themselves in a horrible situation in order for her daughter to survive.

Lingenfelter’s family received an offer for a liver on Sunday afternoon. It was Chelsea’s blood type and the right size, family told NewsChannel5.

At about 10 a.m. Monday, she went into surgery, which could take several hours.

To read more about Chelsea's story or to find out how you can help, go to http://aliverforchelsea.weebly.com/

For more information about organ donation, go to http://lifebanc.org