At just 15 years old, Emma Mendelssohn first noticed a yellow tint in her skin an early sign of jaundice. When the yellow faded and she threw herself into sports, school, and preparing for homecoming, she brushed off her persistent fatigue. It wasn’t until October, just before homecoming, that the jaundice returned.
Diagnosis: A Race Against Time
Urgent blood tests revealed dangerously high liver enzyme levels. On Halloween, she was rushed to the emergency room, administered stabilizing medication, and sent to UCSF Medical Center. There, doctors diagnosed her with autoimmune hepatitis, in which the body mistakenly attacks its own liver. They also uncovered Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune thyroid condition.
Once Emma was told she had “a week to live” without a transplant, she didn’t hesitate: “Those odds are pretty self‑explanatory. Put me on the list.”
Transplant and Grueling Recovery
Remarkably, within 48 hours, Emma received a donor liver. However, the relief was tempered by harsh reality—she realized her illness hadn’t merely paused, but would profoundly shape her future.
Recovery proved brutal: she had to relearn basic functions like sitting up, rolling over, and walking. Complications ensued—a bile duct was inadvertently sealed during surgery, prolonging her hospital stay. It took nearly three years for her body to fully accept the new liver, and only then could she resume high school and finally enroll in Colorado State University.
A Second Crisis in College
Sophomore year at college seemed stable—until the familiar yellowing returned during winter break. Initial hope focused on a procedure (ERCP) to clear her bile ducts, but her enzyme levels worsened. After extensive testing, doctors delivered rare and shocking news: Emma had donor-mediated rejection, where her own immune system and the donor organ attacked each other.
No established treatment existed. After weeks of uncertainty, she began immunotherapy infusions—two-hour treatments on Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus a third six-hour infusion weekly. The toll was brutal: “I’d feel like absolute dog crap for two days, then do it all again.”
Fighting Spirit and Viral Scares
Throughout treatment, her greatest fear was contracting Epstein–Barr virus, which could escalate into lymphoma. Fortunately, a brief bout did not escalate further. Her motivation? Family and newfound purpose: “My younger brother was another motivation—I didn’t want to miss his graduation.” With grim determination, she resolved to “give it a go,” even though a second transplant loomed if therapy failed.
Raising Awareness on TikTok
During her ordeal, Emma took to TikTok. She used candid humor and personal storytelling to document chronic illness—”I’m not trying to be inspirational. I just want people to know the truth: this stuff is hard. And sometimes, it’s ugly.” Her videos struck a chord with thousands, including fellow transplant recipients and curious strangers. The emotional connection gave her resilience: “I can’t just die—that’s kind of messed up.”
Building a Community
Emma credits her best friends, Molly and Riley, for transforming her pain into action. They launched a non‑profit for autoimmune hepatitis research, leveraging Emma’s viral platform to give back. “Raising awareness on TikTok has honestly been the only time I’ve ever seen this disease talked about publicly.”
Living with Limits and Hope
Now 22, Emma lives back in the San Francisco Bay Area, finishing college. Her health is stable, but she faces lifelong constraints: no skydiving, swimming with sharks, or dangerous stunts. Rather than lament, she jokes, “I guess I’ll have to settle for virtual reality or something.” She proudly describes herself as a “normal gal”—resilient not because she’s extraordinary, but because she’s learned to play the hand she was dealt.
Final Thoughts: Perspective and Purpose
Emma’s journey—from jaundice and near-death to transplant, relapse, and recovery—is a testament to both medical advancement and human strength. Her message is simple: chronic illness is painful and unpredictable, but facing it with honesty, humor, and community can reshape suffering into purpose.
