In this episode of the Living Transplant Podcast, host Candice Coghlan speaks with Dr. Blayne Sayed, transplant and hepatobiliary surgeon at SickKids and UHN, about the complexity and emotional depth of pediatric liver transplantation. Dr. Sayed shares what makes children’s liver surgery uniquely challenging, how families navigate the transplant journey, and why long-term relationships between care teams and families matter so deeply.
They explore the powerful role of living liver donation, advances in transplant science and immune research, and emerging technologies like organ perfusion that may improve outcomes and expand the donor pool. Dr. Sayed also discusses the future of transplant care — including reducing immunosuppression, protecting organs from injury, and building stronger transition supports for children growing into adult care.
Did you know that when a child needs a liver donor, both donor evaluation and surgery take place at UHN — a powerful reflection of our strong partnership in pediatric living donor transplantation.
Key Takeaways
Pediatric liver transplantation involves highly complex, technically demanding surgery on very small patients.Families often face a long and emotionally intense journey from diagnosis to transplant.Living liver donation is a critical lifeline for children and helps reduce wait times and risk.Strong collaboration between SickKids and UHN supports seamless donor evaluation and surgery.Long-term relationships between transplant teams and families are central to pediatric care.Research into liver injury and immune response may help reduce rejection and improve long-term outcomes.New organ perfusion technologies could allow organs to be treated and optimized before transplant.Some liver transplant recipients may eventually be able to safely minimize or stop immunosuppression.Better transition programs are needed to support teens moving from pediatric to adult transplant care.Innovation in transplant science is accelerating and holds real promise for children.
Connect with the Podcast or Learn more about Organ Donation
Click here for more information about living organ donation.
Click here to learn more about liver transplantation
Click here to hear stories about living organ donors and recipients
Click here to learn more about Sick Kids liver transplant program
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Ajmera Transplant Centre on Instagram
Each episode, we share patient stories about organ donation from transplant recipients and living donors, along with insights and education from leading medical experts. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, a donor, or simply curious about the world of organ transplantation, you’ll hear expert advice and inspiring journeys of hope, resilience, and second chances.
About our Host
Candice Coghlan is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Centre for Living Organ Donation at the UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre. She is also a board member for the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. After she was diagnosed with kidney failure in her early 20s, she was on dialysis until receiving a transplant from her mother.
Have questions? Comments? Ideas for an episode? Please reach out to the Centre for Living Organ Donation at livingorgandonation@uhn.ca. Thanks for spending your time with us.
The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Toronto General or University Health Network.
