- Tom Johnson
Choose the health content that’s right for you, and get it delivered right in your inbox.
Teagan's Transplant Story
It only took a few weeks for Teagan’s parents to know something was not right with their beautiful baby girl’s health. She had jaundice, a distended stomach and was thin and fragile. “She was tiny (and) she was so sick,” said Elizabeth Puglisi, Teagan’s mother.
The couple turned to AdventHealth for help and Teagan soon became the second patient of the AdventHealth Transplant Institute’s pediatric liver transplant program.
Teagan is now six and thriving. “To see her (now) as a normal child is just an incredible reward,” said Dr. Regino P. Gonalez-Peralta, pediatric liver transplant medical director at AdventHealth for Children.
AdventHealth Transplant Institute’s pediatric liver transplant program is the first and only one of its type in Central Florida and the busiest in the state. It allows local families to benefit from world-class care without having to travel a long distance. The program has performed 52 transplants since its inception in 2018. “It saved her life. She would not be here without (AdventHealth) and we are so thankful for that,” said Puglisi.
Click the photo at the top of this page to learn more about Teagan’s journey and the AdventHealth Transplant Institute’s pediatric liver transplant program.
Nearly 104,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving transplant in the U.S., according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Of those, almost 600 are being cared for by teams at the AdventHealth Transplant Institute, Orlando’s only solid-organ transplant program.
Florida residents can sign up to be an organ donor at https://www.donatelifeflorida.org.
Recent News
In recognition of National Donate Life Month, nearly 300 transplant patients and their families enjoyed AdventHealth’s 2025 transplant reunion.
By managing ASCs as distinct entities with tailored operations, financial structures, and physician partnerships, the East Florida Division is fostering collaboration, efficiency, and growth.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than 101,000 people are currently on the organ transplant list in need of a new kidney. However, only about 17,000 transplants happen each year —...
AdventHealth is excited to welcome Shalom Littrell, LCSWA, to its team at AdventHealth Medical Group Psychiatry at Medical Office Building*. Littrell is a Licensed Clinical Social Work Associate and...
The AdventHealth Heathbrook ER will have 12 exam rooms, including a resuscitation room, a bariatric room, an isolation room, obstetrics-friendly room and pediatric-friendly rooms.
Ming Wu, MD -- a family medicine doctor with AdventHealth Littleton -- talks about the ways to lessen the impact of seasonal allergies this spring.
The East Florida Division is forming strong partnerships with independent physicians, driving mutual success and improving hospital throughput.
In life, Sophie Davis touched dozens of hearts. In passing, one of her organs could possibly save thousands of lives.
To meet rising demand, support physician partners, and deliver cost-effective outpatient care, AdventHealth is investing in Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) in East Florida.
As the days get longer and the weather warms up, people are eager to get back to their favorite outdoor spring activities and sports. This transition from winter to spring often leads to an increased...
Marie Williams remembers being admitted to AdventHealth Parker on September 1, 2023, for colon resection surgery, but after that, things get hazy.
Nearly two dozen medical residents are joining AdventHealth Sebring’s exceptional team to take their next steps to become fully licensed, board-certified family physicians.