5-Month-Old Waukesha Baby Dies Waiting For Liver Transplant

WAUKESHA, WI -- Five-month-old Marcus Albers, the Waukesha boy born last October with a rare disorder that attacked his liver, has died.

Immunodeficiency 47, or IMD47, attacked Marcus' liver and it began to fail three weeks ago, according to media reports. A partial liver transplant was his only hope. Marcus was supposed to have undergone liver transplant surgery on April 2, but the living donor's liver wasn't a match, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Whitney McLean and Tony Albers sent out a desperate plea to anyone who might have been able to save their son's life.

In the end, Marcus' parents said he died peacefully in their arms early Wednesday at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

"It is with immense sadness that I report that Marcus passed away this morning at 4 a.m.," family said on his GoFundMe page. "He was comfortable and peaceful. These past 2 weeks Marcus’ family has felt your support through thousands of donor inquiries, in addition to your charitable donations and countless thoughts and prayers."

The distress this married couple is facing is compounded by the fact that their other son, Dominic, 2, also has the rare disorder and is on a liver transplant waiting list. His situation isn't as dire, though, as his liver is still functioning.

The couple found out McLean was a carrier of IMD47 when she was pregnant. The disorder affects only boys, so McLean didn't know she was a carrier, nor did her grandmother, mother and sister, whose children have all been girls.

"It's extremely rare," McLean told news station WTMJ. "From what we've been told, there are 12 cases in the world."

There are 291 people on the liver transplant waiting list in Wisconsin, according to reports. Nationally, more than 400 children are waiting for new livers, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing website.

A GoFundMe page was established to help the family with medical expenses.

Fund donors have raised more than $24,000 in an effort to help save Marcus. “Our care teams are grieving with the Albers. Their family is in our thoughts and have our deepest sympathy. Nobody should have to endure the loss of a child.”

“We are grateful for how our community stepped forward in such a remarkable way to support the Albers family. Thousands of individuals signed up to be evaluated as potential donors.”

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.

Additional Reporting by Beth Dalbey, Patch National Staff