At Children’s Hospital Colorado, nurse Kayla McCarthy is known for her dedication to pediatric transplant patients. But recently, she went beyond the call of duty—donating a piece of her liver to save the life of a toddler patient at the very hospital where she works. McCarthy has been named Nurse of the Week for her extraordinary compassion.

Every day, McCarthy cares for children who are either waiting for or recovering from organ transplants. Her work requires emotional resilience, clinical skills, and unwavering empathy. It’s a role that’s as demanding as it is inspiring.

“It can be really challenging, it can be complex, but you get to know these patients really well,” McCarthy said. “Seeing them be able to come out the other side of a really difficult journey and then handle that journey with such strength, resilience, and patience is just really inspiring.”

It was so inspiring, in fact, that McCarthy took the extraordinary step of becoming a living organ donor through UCHealth’s living donation program

. She wasn’t matched with a family member or friend—she signed up to help anyone who needed it, driven solely by her desire to give someone else a chance at life.

“There’s somebody who’s in need of this liver to be able to thrive, and if I have the ability to be able to [help], then I would like to,” she said.

That “somebody” was a toddler at Children’s Hospital Colorado. When McCarthy got the call confirming the match, she learned she would be donating part of her liver to a young girl in the very hospital halls she walks every day.

Their surgeries took place in May 2024. McCarthy underwent a robotic procedure at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, while the child received her transplant at Children’s.

Thanks to the minimally invasive technique, McCarthy was out of the hospital in just two nights and back to work in under three weeks.

“I was back to being able to walk and hike and run within a week and a half,” she shared.

Livers regenerate, so McCarthy’s organ will regrow within a few months—a remarkable physical feat. But the emotional and symbolic power of what she gave is even greater. She’s exchanged letters with the child’s mother and is open to building a connection if the family chooses.

“Any time that anybody can make an action that just reflects what they care about, it doesn’t compare,” she said. “It feels really good.”

McCarthy’s story isn’t just heartwarming—it’s a call to action. She hopes more people will consider living organ donation and the life-changing impact it can have.

Kayla McCarthy embodies the power of nurses for her selflessness, strength, and unwavering compassion. Her generosity has given a child a second chance—and inspired a profession rooted in healing to believe in the power of one person to make a profound difference.

Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.

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