News & Stories

Billie Parham’s daughter Hollie was quickly deteriorating while waiting for a liver transplant on Christmas Eve, 1997. As she walked out of Hollie’s hospital room and pressed the elevator button to leave for what she thought was the last time, Billie was stopped by hospital staff. “We’ve got good news for you,” Billie recalls the hospital staff saying. “We’ve got a Christmas present for your daughter. A liver has been donated for Hollie.”

Fifteen years later, thanks to a donor’s gift, Hollie is healthy enough to celebrate the holiday season with her family. “Christmas is about giving,” Hollie said. “For me, it’s even stronger because someone gave me my life back. This was the best possible gift anyone could receive on Christmas day.”

Hollie Parham, a liver recipient, honors her donor this holiday season.

As she celebrates 15 years since her liver transplant, Hollie is deeply thankful for the second chance at life her donor offered her and is keeping her hero in mind this holiday season. “I never stop thanking my donor family,” said Hollie. “It’s not enough to say thank you – I volunteer and give back today because I am one of the lucky ones.”

Hollie isn’t the only one saying thanks. “Through the gift Hollie received, it taught me about the importance of giving as a mother,” Billie said. “Hollie was given the greatest Christmas gift – the gift of life. God is not through with her yet.”

Hollie’s journey as a transplant recipient began when she was admitted to the Wexner Medical Center with  liver failure on December 11, 1997. The auto-immune disease Hollie had attacked her suddenly, causing damage to the liver on the night of her sweet 16 birthday. For 14 days, Hollie deteriorated, and as Christmas approached doctors said she had only days left to live. In what Billie describes as the gift of a miracle, Hollie learned she would receive a liver transplant on December 24, 1997, and was prepped for surgery to take place the very next day; on Christmas day, in fact.

This holiday season, Billie and Hollie, send a special thanks to all selfless donor families that support organ and tissue donation. “You are the reason for the season – you gave my daughter her life back,” Billie said.

To sign up as an organ and tissue donor in the Ohio Donor Registry, click here.