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Teen Gets Organs With Wrong Blood Type

Aired February 18, 2003 - 13:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Doctors are calling it a tragic error. A teenager from Mexico is gravely ill after receiving a multi- organ transplant from a donor with the wrong blood type.
Linda Loveland, of our affiliate WRAL, has more from Duke Hospital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDA LOVELAND, WRAL REPORTER (voice-over): Seventeen-year-old Jesica Santillan is getting worse by the day. Her parents say her kidneys are starting to fail. She rejected a transplant in heart and lungs more than a week ago.

Now, Duke University Hospital admits they gave Jesica the wrong type of heart and lungs. In a statement, Duke says, "this was a tragic error." And, "we accept responsible for our part."

Jesica's parents grow more angry.

MAGDALENDA SANTILLAN, MOTHER (through translator): We have been waiting for this for three long years and then for it to finally happen and for the doctors to do this, a mistake is unforgivable.

LOVELAND: Jesica's parents say the longest she goes without a new heart and lungs, the greater the chance she'll suffer paralysis or neurological damage.

Despite everything, they still have faith in Jesica's doctor.

SANTILLAN: She feels that they're doing everything that's possible to save her because they feel that they are responsible for this mistake they've done.

LOVELAND: All they can do now is pray that organs will be found before it's too late.

SANTILLAN: She says she has a lot of faith in God and she's just going to leave it up to God, in his hands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: A spokesperson from Duke Hospital says the hospital is going to change its transplant procedures to make sure this kind of mistake doesn't happen again.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 18, 2003 - 13:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Doctors are calling it a tragic error. A teenager from Mexico is gravely ill after receiving a multi- organ transplant from a donor with the wrong blood type.
Linda Loveland, of our affiliate WRAL, has more from Duke Hospital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDA LOVELAND, WRAL REPORTER (voice-over): Seventeen-year-old Jesica Santillan is getting worse by the day. Her parents say her kidneys are starting to fail. She rejected a transplant in heart and lungs more than a week ago.

Now, Duke University Hospital admits they gave Jesica the wrong type of heart and lungs. In a statement, Duke says, "this was a tragic error." And, "we accept responsible for our part."

Jesica's parents grow more angry.

MAGDALENDA SANTILLAN, MOTHER (through translator): We have been waiting for this for three long years and then for it to finally happen and for the doctors to do this, a mistake is unforgivable.

LOVELAND: Jesica's parents say the longest she goes without a new heart and lungs, the greater the chance she'll suffer paralysis or neurological damage.

Despite everything, they still have faith in Jesica's doctor.

SANTILLAN: She feels that they're doing everything that's possible to save her because they feel that they are responsible for this mistake they've done.

LOVELAND: All they can do now is pray that organs will be found before it's too late.

SANTILLAN: She says she has a lot of faith in God and she's just going to leave it up to God, in his hands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: A spokesperson from Duke Hospital says the hospital is going to change its transplant procedures to make sure this kind of mistake doesn't happen again.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com