Tupelo teacher is also a lifesaver for a student
Holly Allgood donated part of her liver to student born with a rare metabolic condition
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Holly Allgood remembers the moment last August when she was told her student, Bowen Dorr, would need a liver transplant.
“I said, I will do it, and Jamie said, well, there’s a lot that goes into that,” Allgood said.
In 2019, Jamie and Jake Dorr adopted Bowen. Before leaving the hospital, they discovered he had a rare condition called CPS 1, which prevents the liver from processing protein.
As he grew, his condition worsened, leading to the need for a transplant.
Last summer, after days of medical tests in Pittsburgh, Allgood, a special education teacher at the Early Childhood Education Center, found out she was a match for Bowen. She underwent surgery in late August, donating 30 percent of her liver to Bowen.
“To have someone so close to home that was willing to lay down her life when it wasn’t her child, it always brings me to tears,” Jamie Dorr said.
Nearly nine months after the transplant, Bowen and Allgood are doing great.
“Anything and everything a six-year-old boy wants to get into, he is doing,” said Jake Dorr.
The Dorrs and Allgood were able to share their story on The Jennifer Hudson Show, during this week’s “Celebration of Teachers.”`
For Allgood, being able to help a student is part of her calling as a teacher.
“God always has a plan. There are so many needs in the world. The world is ultimately good and ready to be the hands and feet of Jesus, you just have to hear Him and follow His call,” Allgood said.
Bowen’s parents said they are thankful for a teacher who answered that call.
Bowen is set for a minor surgery this summer. After that he will get yearly checkups, while enjoying a normal and active childhood.
