Aiden Jaskolka-Brown and the child who received his liver. [Photo courtesy of Aiden Jaskolka-Brown]
By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
Like most future doctors, Aiden Jaskolka-Brown chose his career path out of a desire to save lives.
“I’ve always lived by the words ‘make a difference,’” he said. “It's something my dad used to tell me before my childhood soccer games. Now, I want to make a difference in people's lives.'"
This summer, he graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical sciences and will continue his education at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as part of the Judy Genshaft Honors College's seven-year Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine program.
But Jaskolka-Brown didn’t wait until he became a doctor to save lives.
In May 2023, he donated a segment of his left liver to a 5-month-old boy. Today, Jaskolka-Brown remains close with that child – now nearly 3 years old – and the family.
“Whenever I’m feeling down or struggling, I ask his mom for a picture of the kid,” he said. “It’s a reminder of why I continue to do this. It’s motivation.”
Raised in Denver, Colorado, Jaskolka-Brown gravitated toward the STEM fields from an early age.
Aiden Jaskolka-Brown before surgery [Photo courtesy of Aiden Jaskolka-Brown]
“In high school, I realized I wanted to work with people too,” he said. “With medicine, I could combine my appreciation of science with helping people in a direct way. I chose USF because it has strong programs in every field.”
It was during the spring of his freshman year in 2022 that a discussion in his Applied Medical Ethics class sparked interest in becoming a living organ donor.
“I learned that 96% of organ donors are deceased,” he said. “And if just a fraction of a percent the population donated, there wouldn’t be a transplant list.”
That October, he registered with the transplant program near his parents’ home at the University of Colorado. By mid-March 2023, doctors cleared him to become a liver donor.
The first match fell through, but just a week later – on May 22 – he got the call.
“They said they had a baby who was very sick and asked if I could come in soon,” he said. “On May 30, I was in surgery. It all happened fast.”
Aiden Jaskolka-Brown meets his liver recipient. [Photo courtesy of Aiden Jaskolka-Brown]
Recovery was just as quick. Four days after surgery, he was out of the hospital. Six weeks later, he ran in a 5K Donor Dash.
Soon after, his donor coordinator asked if he wanted to send a letter to the baby’s parents. He did – and they wrote back, inviting him to meet their child. Since the family lives a short drive from his parents, Jaskolka-Brown visits them whenever he’s back in Denver. He even attended one of their recent pool parties.
That ongoing relationship, he said, continues to shape his purpose.
“I’ve done a lot of digging with my values,” he said. “Through medicine, I want to keep living by my values - to build meaningful relationships with patients, and to make a difference.'
He’s considering a future in vascular or, yes, transplant surgery.
“Maybe my story will inspire others.”