From the very beginning, Mattie Beacham’s life was a battle.
Born in Florida on December 13, 2022, she appeared healthy at first glance, but her parents quickly realized something was wrong.
By just two months old, Mattie had become what her family describes as a “ticking time bomb.”
Despite passing her newborn screenings and leaving the hospital three days after a C-section birth, Mattie struggled to gain weight.
At only 5 pounds, she was hooked up to 21 machines just to keep her fragile organs functioning.
Early Warnings That Were Missed
Allison Beacham, Mattie’s mother, recalled the confusion and fear: “We thought we had a healthy baby girl. Everything seemed fine, except she wasn’t growing.”
Mattie drank high-calorie formula constantly but didn’t gain weight.
Her tiny abdomen began to swell with fluid, a condition called ascites, and her skin and stools began to change color, turning yellow and clay-like.
Her parents say doctors at Orlando Health brushed off these signs, insisting Mattie just needed more nutrition.
But at her two-month checkup, things changed dramatically.
The covering pediatrician reportedly “turned ghost white” when seeing Mattie’s condition, noting jaundice, liver enlargement, and failure to thrive.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Later that day, Mattie was admitted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, part of Orlando Health, and diagnosed with biliary atresia—a rare and aggressive liver disease in newborns that blocks the bile ducts.
Without proper bile flow, the body cannot absorb essential nutrients, causing malnutrition and organ stress.
The disease affects roughly one in 12,000 babies in the U.S., and the only effective treatment is a Kasai surgery, ideally performed within the first 30 days of life.
By the time Mattie received her diagnosis, she was already 63 days old.
Her father, Michael Beacham, described the urgency: “This disease is a time bomb.”
A Race Against Time
Mattie underwent the Kasai procedure on February 15, 2023, at 65 days old, but it was unsuccessful.
Her parents allege that the failure was due to Orlando Health not acting on abnormal bilirubin results from tests performed just three days after her birth.
Afterward, Mattie endured months of hospital stays at Advent Health, just five miles away.
Her liver had deteriorated so severely that it could no longer process bile, leaving her malnourished despite constant feeding.
“She was literally getting poisoned and starved at the same time,” Michael said.
During this period, Mattie was in a medically induced coma, with 21 machines keeping her organs alive.
In late September 2023, doctors warned she had about 24 hours to live.
A creative combination of dialysis and plasmapheresis saved her, slowly reviving her organs.
A Life-Saving Transplant
By early October, Mattie, now nine months old, received a liver transplant from a 22-year-old donor in Georgia.
The operation lasted 12 hours, and because Mattie was so small, her half of the liver had to be trimmed twice before it could fit.
The donated organ would grow to full size over the following weeks.
“All the doctors said they didn’t think she would make it,” Michael said.
Allison added: “It was almost a Hail Mary, but she pulled through.”
Long-Term Consequences
Mattie’s ordeal left lasting complications.
Biliary atresia compromised her immune system, leaving her vulnerable to cancer and infections.
Sepsis caused the loss of all fingers on her left hand, and nutritional deficiencies damaged her teeth.
She also experienced developmental delays, speech impairment, and three strokes.
Doctors estimate her life expectancy may only be 50 years—decades shorter than average.
Despite all this, Mattie remains cheerful.
Allison said, “She is the happiest little human I have ever known.
Her compassion is beyond her years, and she has no idea of the incredible journey she has endured.”
Fighting for Accountability
The Beachams are pursuing legal action against Orlando Health and Pediatrix Medical Group, alleging medical negligence for failing to act on Mattie’s early test results.
Orlando Health has admitted partial fault under Florida law, while Pediatrix is expected to face trial in 2027.
The case has also inspired legislative action.
“Mattie’s Law” aims to add direct bilirubin tests to Florida’s newborn screenings to prevent similar tragedies.
Pilot programs are already underway in several hospitals, including Advent Health.
A Remarkable Journey of Hope
Today, at three years old, Mattie continues to show resilience and joy despite her challenges.
She is set to undergo abdominal reconstruction surgery, but her spirit remains unbroken.
Her parents hope that sharing her story will not only protect other children but also celebrate Mattie’s remarkable courage.
“All she wants to do is play and be a kid,” Allison said.
“Her journey has been unimaginable, but she continues to shine.”
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