Ticvah and her family traveled 7,500 miles to seek the medical attention Ticvah needed. After being denied treatment from other hospitals, Ticvah finally received a second chance of life. Keep reading to learn more about Ticvah and her story.

Ticvah was born in late 2016 with a liver condition in Kinshasa, the Congo, Africa’s heartland. The Congo, where Ticvah was born, is one of those places whose infants often come to this world smitten with crippling disadvantages. Ticvah was brought to the US, Omaha, Nebraska to be exact, for medical attention following a providential turn of events. As it became evident in early 2017 that her exclusive ticket to a possible future was a very expensive surgical procedure- a liver transplant which would cost $750,000 out of pocket. The costs associated to maintaining her while awaiting that sorely needed new organ were significantly high on those involved in her care at first and the family’s personal resources were quasi nil. Despite all the lifesaving care provided to Ticvah at The Nebraska Medical Center, Ticvah was denied liver transplant. At the brink of despair, the family decided to move to the New England area in a quest for a miracle.

The road ahead seemed at prime aboard doomed to butt into a dead-end.

The high price the family had had to pay subsequent to this additional leap of faith was to risk everything and sleep in a shelter for the homeless in Portland, Maine along with a terminally ill child.

Before long, local community resources in Portland that heard about Ticvah’s plight decided to make a difference. Whilst the family was removed from the shelter to a charity house, Ticvah started being seen on a very regular basis by local pediatricians and gastroenterologists. In just a week time, the leading hospital in the region (BBCH) helped bridge contact with the world-famed Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston that incidentally pledged to provide Ticvah with a surgery at close to no cost. Meanwhile, with the help of a local church, the family has permanently settled in Maine and has been fraught with community support that met some of the greatest needs including housing, food and education for the oldest sibling.

On December 3, 2019 Ticvah received new life at MGH. Ticvah is a regular patient at the Massachusetts General Hospital with outpatient follow-up at Maine Medical Center (MMC) and officially listed as an organ recipient. Baby Ticvah, previously acclaimed by all for her beautiful dark African hair and fiery eyes has recently suffered hair loss, potentially due to some of the medications she’s on to help maintain her liver functions. On a weekly basis, she attends to her appointments for blood draw and every single episode of hazardous fluctuation in the stability of her liver has been dealt with spontaneously and conjointly between MGH and MMC.

Ticvah’s father, Luc Samuel Matumona, and her family continued to have faith throughout their 3 year journey to find a liver transplant. Luc has faith in God. He has faith in the American health care system, which gave his daughter another chance of life. Lastly, Luc has faith in the kindness of strangers who have provided food, shelter, resources and love for their little girl.

Here’s the latest update on Ticvah: Ticvah’s transplant has been a great success. Fourteen months later, she keeps on blooming and thriving. Her long silence has been replaced by the very talkative bubbly personality of the toddler she is now.

Ticvah is a born entertainer, eager learner, and natural polyglot. Hers is a seamless linguistic skill that includes a prolific vocabulary in English, French and Lingala. Besides, her knowledge of animals, including different types of dinosaurs, will certainly astound you.

Ticvah and her family faced so many challenges during the journey to find Ticvah another chance at life. Thankfully, that path led them here to Portland and The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. Become a Miracle Maker today by clicking the Donate Now button below to help support Maine’s sick and injured kids, like Ticvah.

Donate Now