When six-year-old Gianna-Lynn Favilla told her mother she was feeling itchy one day, her mother Sue Favilla thought it was an allergic reaction to some soap she had been using.



But after the complaints persisted, the Favillas, who live in the village of Russell, southeast of Ottawa, took Gianna-Lynn to their family doctor for blood work; then to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, who worked with Sick Kids in Toronto to finally summon a diagnosis.



It was much more grave than initially feared.



Gianna-Lynn had Crohn’s disease and, more seriously she had primary sclerosing cholangitis, which causes inflammation in the bile ducts, and has badly damaged Gianna-Lynn’s liver. Now, the Favillas are desperate for a liver donor to save their now eight-year-old daughter’s life. Her condition has deteriorated to the point where she has been placed her on a transplant list.



“If you can imagine having an itch, deep down, that it doesn’t matter how hard you scratch it, you can’t relieve it,” said Sue Favilla. “That’s what Gianna has. It’s very uncomfortable. The combination of the liver’s inability to function properly combined with the effects of the Crohn’s, her nutritional status is not great. But she’s so resilient, it blows my mind. She’s brave, she’s strong. We’re very proud of her.”



After a Facebook plea on Sunday and subsequent media coverage, the Favillas have been flooded with messages of support. Several people with Type O blood have come forward, the kind a compatible donor must have to match with Gianna-Lynn. Sue Favilla said she was not sure how many people have actually submitted their forms, adding that the Toronto General Hospital is not permitted to mention who or how many individuals have applied.



Until recently, Gianna-Lynn was able to attend school, but she is now at home where, as her parents wrote on Facebook, she tries “to make the very best of each day” despite the restless nights caused by the disease and the tube in her nose she needs for nutrition and treatment. Gianna-Lynn’s enlarged liver and spleen distends her abdomen, and Sue said her daughter intermittently has yellow eyes because of the build up of bilirubin, which is caused by the inflammation of the bile ducts impeding the flow of bile out of the liver.



“It’s very difficult to watch and difficult to explain at the same time. As any parent can imagine, at times it’s been a living hell,” said Sue. “It’s like someone has placed you out on a tight rope, 20,000 feet up in the air, and they said, ‘Okay, either you keep walking to the other side or you’re going to fall off.’ So what’s it going to be? You don’t really have a choice.



“So we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, try to stay positive and make sure Gianna gets that positive energy from us.”



Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, himself the recipient of an anonymous liver donation last summer, appealed to his Twitter followers on Wednesday morning to help spread the word about “sweet little Gianna-Lynn.” The Senators organization also posted Gianna’s story to its Facebook page.



“I want to extend our thanks to everyone who has shown support, Mr. Melnyk and everybody,” said Sue. “We’re so grateful to all of our Facebook followers and to everyone spreading and sharing the word. Our hearts are full of love and appreciation.”



When she is well, Gianna-Lynn likes to dance and attend weekly Brownie meetings. At home, she loves to spend time with friends, do arts and crafts and play games on her tablet computer, including Minecraft.



On their Facebook page dedicated to helping Gianna, the family provides a checklist for potential donors, noting, among other matters, that she has Type O blood, and that a compatible donor must have also have Type O blood, either positive or negative.



There are also links on the Facebook page — it can be found by searching “Gianna-Lynn needs a liver transplant” — for Toronto General Hospital’s live donor program that provide information and a manual for anyone considering becoming a donor candidate.



The family asks that any would-be donor download and fill out the required form and fax it to Toronto General Hospital’s Living Donor Assessment Office at 416-340-4317. Applications can also be mailed.



— With files from Robert Sibley.

