Jessica Lopez has no memory of being able to see. As a child, she spent much of her childhood in a hospital for the treatment of leukemia and retinoblastoma — cancers that left her completely blind. Chemotherapy saved her life, but years later, it contributed to serious heart damage.

Jessica was listed for a double-organ transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and spent one year on the waiting list. During that time, her condition began affecting a third organ. Jessica no longer needed just a heart and liver — she also needed a new kidney.  

Despite being considered high-risk for the procedure due to three failing organs, Jessica says she was never scared. 

“I’ve always been a very positive person, and I don’t like to ever think negatively,” says Jessica. “I was confident from the very beginning that my doctors at Northwestern Medicine were going to do this successfully.”

Finding the Right Match

Triple-organ transplants are extremely rare. Specialized teams at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and Northwestern Medicine Organ Transplant Center had successfully performed a triple transplant in the past and were ready to help Jessica.  

“From the day I met her in clinic, I knew we were going to pull out all the stops to do what we needed to do to get her feeling better,” says Benjamin S. Bryner, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “She has an attitude that’s really positive, she’s endearing and has a great sense of humor. Walking out of the clinic room, I thought, ‘This is going to be tricky, but we absolutely have to do this.’”

Matching a patient with three healthy organs is a complex process. All organs must come from the same donor, which often results in a longer wait.

“When you have multiple failing organs, along with a patient who is young and has heart damage due to chemotherapy as opposed to the usual heart disease, it gets a lot more complicated,” says Dr. Bryner. “It’s unusual to find a recipient who can safely get through this complex of an operation.”

A Carefully Orchestrated Surgical Approach

On February 24, 2024, three organs became available, and Jessica went in for her transplant. In two carefully coordinated surgeries, Jessica’s heart and liver were transplanted together before a different group of surgeons could move on to the kidney. 

“We transplanted the heart and liver in one block to limit the amount of time the organs go without blood or oxygen,” says Juan Carlos Caicedo Ramirez, MD, a transplant surgeon at Northwestern Medicine. “The heart and the liver stay connected the whole time from the donor to the recipient. While Dr. Bryner was doing the heart transplant, we were sewing the liver graft. You have two surgeons working simultaneously, and that’s one of the advantages of our team.” 

Life After Transplant Surgery

Today, Jessica is doing well with her new heart, liver and kidney. She also celebrates 20 years of being cancer-free.

“I feel like I was reborn again,” says Jessica. “I have more energy, my heart beats much stronger and my hands are even warmer. I’m incredibly grateful for my organ donor and their family. Because of their selfless decision, I’ve been given a second chance at life and can start planning for my future.”

Jessica is looking to continue her education and pursue a career in criminal investigation, with hopes of working in forensic science. She and her partner, Christopher, are excited about the future they can build together.

Cancer’s Lasting Impact

An estimated 18 million cancer survivors currently live in the United States. While modern treatments have dramatically improved outcomes, some cancer therapies can cause heart damage. It is known as “cardiotoxicity.”

Research shows that adults who survived cancer in childhood face a substantially higher risk of developing heart problems than the general population. This makes regular heart checkups and healthy lifestyle choices especially important for this group.

Take a risk assessment today to learn more about your heart health.