Another chance at life

Transplant surgery July 30



Ermenia Coronado and husband Edward Dayna Tate and children Elizabella & Walter Tate

Ermenia Coronado and husband Edward Dayna Tate and children Elizabella & Walter Tate

When Dayna Tate of Jourdanton came across a social media post for someone looking for a living liver donor with A+ blood, she asked, “What do I have to do?”

It was a blessing for Ermenia Coronado of Poteet, who suffers from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and was told earlier this year that without a living liver donor, she would not make it much longer.

Tate received more information and filled out a questionnaire. Two days later she received a call and talked to a nurse. She was then approved for an evaluation and within a week, she was approved by the committee as a match.

Tate explained that while she is a match for Mrs. Coronado, there is another recipient whose donor is a match to them, but does not have a large enough liver to donate the size portion that they would need.

“So they asked me, ‘You’re a match to them and their donor is a match to Ermenia. Would you mind swapping?” said Tate.

She is responsible for saving two lives, instead of one.

“Ermenia is actually not getting my liver, however, if I hadn’t had come forward, she wouldn’t have had me or this other donor. So yes, it is kind of cool,” said Tate.

In geting acquainted, the two have discovered several connections, such as family members working together.

Tate, a truck driver is looking at about eight weeks of recovery.

A portion of her liver will be removed and transplanted into the swapped candidate, whose donor will be used for Coronado. Tate will need funds to meet financial needs not covered by the recipient’s insurance. She will also be unable to work for a few weeks. Her employer, Chris Jenschke Enterprises in Poteet, approved the time off and she has their blessing.

Her children are both August babies, who will soon be 6 and 7.

When it comes to the operation, she has told them, “Mommy is just doing a random act of kindness. My whole thing is to show them that, this is what we do as a human race. We help people in need. It doesn’t have to be something so major. I have a philosophy- if you can, you do. So, this won’t cost me anything. It’s just a little piece of a body organ.”

Coronado worked for the state of Texas under the office of the Attorney General Child Support Division for over 20 years, until medically retiring in 2008. After surgery, she will need long-term home healthcare, which her insurance does not cover.

Before this, Tate did not understand that living organ donation existed.

“That means there are probably a lot of people who don’t know such a thing exists. I know there are a lot of people in need of these living donor transplants, so it might spark other people’s desire to do something like this and help somebody.”

Her surgery is scheduled for the end of July at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. Hospital staff call her regularly and Tate said it has been a good, easy experience so far. However, both Tate and the Coronado family are anxious about the surgeries being so soon.

“Ermenia has been sick for some time, and if she doesn’t have this transplant soon, she won’t be well enough to even have the surgery. At that point, she will need to wait for a deceased donor, and she may not make it out of that surgery, if she progresses any further in her illness. I think that’s why it’s been so fast,” Tate said.

The two were finally able to meet at Sunday’s fundraiser held at Pop Da Topz in Poteet. Coronado’s daughter Angelica said the event went well. A raffle is planned for August and donation items will be collected until the end of July. Please contact Angelica at 210-294-2904 or Dayna at 830-480-8592 if you would like to donate an item. Some of the donations so far include a Kodi cooler and tumblers, gift certificates from Gypsy Moon Market and The Office, a stream light flashlight, quilt and more. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help fund medical expenses for both women.

Tate’s goal is just to raise awareness. As someone who has lost some family members due to illnesses like cancer, Coronado’s story touched her.

“If you can give somebody a second chance at life, why not step up to the plate and do it? It doesn’t have to be a family member. It can be a stranger.”

Tate has been told she is inspiring. She disagrees and says she just wants to be a person who inspires others to be inspirational.

“We’re all on this planet together and we need to make it a better place.”

To learn more about living organ donation, visit: www.uthscsa.edu/patientcare/ physicians/services/ live-liver-donor-surgery

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