A New Beginning, Kidney, and Pancreas for a Devoted Mother

By: Ruelle Champion

Pregnancy can have a big impact on a woman’s body. For Marrian Bell, 35, it affected her kidney function as she fought to manage type one diabetes while pregnant with her daughter, Bella, in 2018.

Nearly two years after Bella’s arrival, COVID-19 worsened Bell’s kidney function, bringing it down from 50 to 15 percent. She was told by doctors that she would need to have a kidney transplant, start dialysis treatment, or both.

Bell chose dialysis.

“The first day was very emotional,” she said. “I almost cried the whole session.”

Despite the difficult start, Bell started to shift her mentality. As the months on dialysis passed, she realized she had the energy to keep up with her life. Bell worked two jobs, one in mental health and another at a pediatric medical daycare, all while taking care of her young daughter.

“I really thought I would be more tired after the sessions,” she said. “But I was still able to have a lot of energy to do my mommy things and family stuff, so it wasn’t bad at all.”

Around nine months into treatment, Bell was added to the kidney/pancreas transplant waiting list with the help of Miami Transplant Institute (MTI) – an affiliation between Jackson Health System and UHealth – University of Miami Health System.

“I prayed that I would be able to watch my daughter grow, so I didn’t mind the dialysis,” Bell said. “But also, I didn’t really want the diabetes anymore because I had it for 27 years already and it just further complicates things.”

Mariella Ortigosa-Goggins, MD, medical director of the kidney/pancreas program at MTI, knew the transplant would give Bell a new lease on life. The call that organs were found came eight months after Bell joined the waiting list. Dr. Ortigosa-Goggins went a step further for her, and offered a robotic option.

“She was very courageous in accepting a fairly new procedure for a kidney/pancreas transplant,” Dr. Ortigosa-Goggins said. “It’s done at only a few centers in the world.”

Bell’s surgery happened on February 3, 2024 with Rodrigo Vianna, MD, PhD, MTI’s director of transplant services and chief of liver, intestinal, and multivisceral transplant. The robotic procedure helped her recover faster and have smaller incisions. She was discharged from Jackson Memorial Hospital 14 days later with no complications.

“She did very well with both organs,” Dr. Ortigosa-Goggins said. “They started working right away, and she has been insulin-free ever since.”

For Bell, life after transplant means soaking in every cherished moment with family and friends. She’s back to filling her days with positivity and, most importantly, watching her daughter grow and thrive.

“I’m very happy,” she said. “I wouldn’t change any part of it.”