Woman Beats Rare Cancer With Two Liver Transplants in a Year

When Bonnie Schiavone went in for a routine liver scan in summer 2024, she had no idea her life was about to change forever.

The scan revealed cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer. The tumor sat in a location doctors couldn't reach with surgery, next to vital structures that couldn't be removed.

Decades ago, this would have been a death sentence. Today, Bonnie is alive thanks to medical breakthroughs and the generosity of organ donors.

Cholangiocarcinoma has a grim survival rate. Only 10% of patients live past five years. But research from the 1990s discovered that liver transplants could essentially cure the cancer if patients met extremely strict criteria.

The requirements are demanding. Patients must undergo months of chemotherapy and radiation to contain the cancer. Before receiving an organ, doctors must confirm the cancer hasn't spread anywhere else. Even during surgery, lymph nodes are checked, and if cancer appears, the transplant is canceled immediately.

Only about 5% of cholangiocarcinoma patients qualify for transplant. With one, the five-year survival rate jumps to 63%.

Bonnie, 56, and her husband Bob considered selling everything for one final family trip to Italy. Instead, they chose to fight.

For six months, Bonnie endured brutal treatments while her family held their breath. One tiny sign of cancer spread would end her transplant eligibility. She became gravely ill, hospitalized multiple times for sepsis and other complications.

On December 16, 2024, they got the news they'd been praying for. The treatments worked. Bonnie qualified for transplant.

She came home on Christmas Eve and learned her daughter was pregnant. The day after Christmas, the call came. A liver was available.

The moment carried deep meaning for Bonnie. Twenty-two years earlier, when her mother died suddenly, the family donated her organs. Seven months later, they did the same when her uncle passed.

Before her transplant surgery began, hospital staff lined the halls for an honor walk, paying respect to her donor. "I was on the other side of that," Bonnie said quietly.

The Ripple Effect

Bonnie's survival represents more than one woman's victory over cancer. Her story highlights how organ donation transforms terminal diagnoses into second chances at life.

Every donated organ creates ripple effects across families and communities. Bonnie's mother and uncle gave others the gift of life decades ago. Now Bonnie has received that same gift, allowing her to meet her future grandchild and continue building memories with her family.

Medical advances in transplant protocols have turned cholangiocarcinoma from a near-certain death sentence into a condition with hope. What was once impossible is now saving lives for the small percentage of patients who qualify.

"Every day is a bonus and a blessing," Bonnie says now.