Nurse Experiences Full-Circle Moment with Placenta Donation
Maria Lanane, RN C-EFM, at OhioHealth Berger Hospital, works with mothers who choose to donate their placentas to form healing grafts. Little did she know, one day she’d be a recipient of one of those placental grafts.
In early 2023, Maria had a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction of the breasts. After a nine-hour surgery, she developed skin necrosis in both breasts. This led to an additional surgery two weeks later to remove the skin. However, the areas were left open, and dressing changes were needed with weekly wound clinic appointments for treatment. After six weeks of slow healing, the wound clinic physician ordered skin graft substitutes (healing grafts made from placental tissue).
After only three weeks and receiving three grafts total, Maria’s skin was completely healed! And as a result, she was able to spend the summer vacationing at the beach and swimming with her children.
“Being a woman who has had a bilateral mastectomy is devastating enough let alone having non-healing wounds after the procedure,” Maria says. “Because of someone’s selfless donation, I received the placental grafts and was able to fully heal, allowing me to get back to my busy life as a mom, wife and labor and delivery nurse.”
Bringing awareness to placenta donation is an important part of Maria’s job because she personally understands how life-enhancing it can be.
She says, “It’s been such a cool, full-circle moment to be a labor and delivery nurse who takes part in the placenta donation process for those giving birth, and then become a recipient of placental grafts myself. I’m living success that placenta donation matters.”
Learn more about Lifeline of Ohio’s Placenta Donation Program here.