A babysitter made a huge sacrifice by donating a part of her liver; to the baby girl who she was known for several weeks

She was an inspiration to others. If you’ve ever been a babysitter or taken responsibility for someone else’s children, you’ll understand the burden or obligation that comes with caring for children who aren’t your own. 

Many babysitters take this responsibility and the job very seriously. And, without a doubt, go above and beyond what their parents ask for. We can hear such stories of sacrifices that nannies made for their babies. 

Kiersten Miles never imagined she’d be a part of saving the life of the Rosko family’s youngest child when she became a nanny for them. Miles was a 22-year-old student from New Jersey, needed to work to support her studies, so she contacted the Rosko family through a friend and began working for them right away. 

I met the Roskos in early June 2016 through a dear friend who had known them for a long time and had recommended me for summer nanny employment. I knew Talia had biliary atresia because a friend had told me a bit of her history. Stated Kiersten.

One out of every 18,000 infants is born with biliary atresia, a liver disease. It clogs the bile ducts that generally drain to the gallbladder, allowing the backed-up bile to cause irreversible liver damage. A Kasai surgery, where a section of the small intestine replaces the ducts, allows the liver to drain into the intestine as a temporary solution. Organ transplantation is the only known cure for the condition, and it is highly likely to be successful.

Talia’s parents are Farra, 40, an administrator at Princeton University’s Plasma & Physics Laboratory, and George Rosko, 42, is the general manager of ACE Gymnastics in Ocean, New Jersey. They notified that their daughter would most likely die before two if she does not get a liver transplant. When the family hired Miles as their summer babysitter for their three children, including Mattea,7, Trey,5, and baby Talia, she had the Kasai procedure and was placed on the liver transplant waiting list.

Talia Rosko, who was just nine months old at the time, had a rare liver ailment that only affects infants, which Miles promptly identified. And when she found out that baby needed a liver transplant just a few weeks into her babysitting job.

Miles didn’t think twice about getting tested to see if she was a donor match. She had only known the Rosko family for a short time when she decided. However, she had already developed a special bond with the young girl.

George, Farra, and Rosko were initially skeptical and explained how much of a disturbing thing she was offering to Kiersten. A portion of your liver donation is not the same as donating blood; for one thing, invasive surgery is required, and there are numerous risks involved.

After about two to three weeks of keeping an eye on Talia, I became intrigued by the whole idea of a liver transplant. I had no idea you could donate a portion of your liver before meeting the family. I try to donate blood whenever possible because it has never bothered me, and many people can benefit from my blood type. After studying, I realized that I could potentially give an organ to anyone because of my blood type.

Initially, Talia’s parents were wary of the young babysitter making such a significant choice, but they came around. However, they made sure that they did not press Kiersten to decide because they did not want her to regret it later.  

Kiersten stood firm in her decision and applied right away to be a donor for the infant. When the test results came back, she was a perfect match for the child. Interestingly enough, Miles’ mother supported her daughter’s decision to become a donor as much as anyone else could. 

Kiersten had no regrets, and she and Talia traveled to the hospital on January 11, 2017, to have surgery together.

A 14-hour procedure at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia had already allowed Kiersten and Talia to recover fully. They are doing great now. As a result, the baby is back to her old self and doing all the things a toddler should be doing. 

One piece of information, however, made her re-evaluate Kiersten’s charitable decision. 

I found out at one point that if I did this, I would never be able to donate again, she explained. I needed to think about that. She decided to go ahead, hoping that someone would step up if her future child required the same procedure.

According to Rosko, she has turned a hopeless situation into a hopeful one. We’d be waiting for a deceased donor to arrive and save Talia if it weren’t for Kiersten. We’d be watching our child fall to pieces. I am not sure what we’d do without Kiersten…to be honest, I do not want to think about it.

I believe it is significant to raise awareness about living organ donation and organ donation in general. I think it is essential that people precisely understand what they are volunteering for and what the recovery process entails, but it is a small price to pay compared to saving a life, said Miles. 

Brenda A. Maples
Brenda A. Maples