9-year-old Cary girl receives life-saving liver transplant at Duke

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- After spending 59 days in the hospital, 9-year-old Chloe Cassell is back home in Cary after receiving a life-saving liver transplant at Duke Hospital.

Chloe's family says she had been the picture of health her entire life but that all changed Nov. 12, 2021, five days after her birthday.

"It just started out of the blue," Chloe's mom Morgan Cassell said. "She just started turning jaundice, and then it just kind of turned, snowballed from there."

Chloe was diagnosed with acute liver failure. She received a transplant on Nov. 22 at Duke, and her family hoped for a few weeks post-op hospital stay but complications followed. Chloe experienced declining blood levels and internal bleeding leading to another emergency surgery.

After nearly two months, the third-grader at Turner Creek Elementary is finally able to return home but will require homeschooling for several months and weekly visits to the doctor.

The Cassells are now fundraising with the help of Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA), which will help support Chloe on the life-long medical journey that follows her transplant.

"She's dealt with enough," Morgan Cassell said. "So, to have that support and know that she's never struggling and having to decide between like medicine and housing or food because we're not always going to be around.

"We can also bless other families that are going through this," she added.

Chloe's Crew is starting its fundraising with a goal of $65,000. They'll be selling T-shirts and holding events including raffles and virtual runs.