Laila Zālīte Donates Part of Her Liver to Save a Stranger’s Daughter, Risking Her Own Life

This year, on her 40th birthday, Laila Zālīte made an extraordinary decision: she donated a portion of her liver to save the life of a stranger’s daughter. She viewed this opportunity as a gift for her milestone birthday.

A month before traveling to Germany, Laila met her current partner, who immediately volunteered to accompany her. “He simply said he would come with me,” Laila recalls. “I agreed, thinking he could help me on the return trip since I wouldn’t be able to lift heavy objects. Now I’m incredibly grateful – the girl’s parents could focus entirely on their child, and I had someone who saw how terrible I felt after surgery and understood it wasn’t an act.” Their shared adventure, during which he showed her the most beautiful spots in Hamburg, became the start of a special relationship.

Laila has a son named Regnārs, who called her daily via video chat and asked about every detail – from bandages to remaining tubes. Because of her son, she also faced criticism. “People told me I was selfish to risk my life since I have a son. I replied that he would be fine – he has a father, grandparents, aunts, and cousins. But the girl would have died without a donor.” This experience sifted her circle of friends; those who called her action “nonsense” were weeded out.

Laila also points out a systemic issue: all rehabilitation procedures – water exercise, massages, physiotherapy – must be paid for out of pocket, as Latvia lacks a support program for living donors. “Usually, the donor is a relative, and parents focus on the child, not on their own recovery. That’s wrong.” She raised the issue and received a hopeful response that changes for living donors might be made in the future.