The Gift of a Second Life | The Medical City

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The Gift of a Second Life

By The Medical City (TMC), Ortigas | April 10, 2025

The Gift of a Second Life

Gianna’s Journey from Liver Failure to New Beginnings

Liver failure once meant the end of the road. But at The Medical City, we’re rewriting that story. Through the expertise of our world-class multidisciplinary team, our aim is to make liver transplantation more accessible in the Philippines—giving patients the gift of a second life, close to home. 

One such story belongs to 3-year-old Gianna, the youngest child of Jennifer Visto. 

At just two weeks old, Gianna’s skin showed a faint yellow hue. What seemed like a harmless case of newborn jaundice turned out to be something much more serious. A series of tests revealed that Gianna had biliary atresia, a rare and life-threatening liver condition in infants caused by the inflammation or absence of bile ducts. Left untreated, it can lead to irreversible liver damage and, eventually, liver failure. 

Gianna underwent the Kasai procedure before she turned three months old—a temporary solution aimed at slowing disease progression. But her doctors knew it wouldn’t be enough. Gianna needed a liver transplant to survive. 

On February 23, 2024, she got that chance. With her mother as a qualified living donor, Gianna underwent a successful liver transplant at The Medical City. Exactly a month later, on March 22, she was discharged from the hospital—energetic, thriving, and ready for a new beginning. 

“I feel excited and blessed,” Jennifer shared. “I’m excited that Gianna will now live a normal life. She’ll get to see and experience the beauty of the world. Even if there are many challenges in life, she deserves to live.” 

She added, “We, as her parents, may feel unworthy of all these blessings, but the Lord is gracious. He gave us this second chance, and I know my daughter deserves it. She deserves the love, the care, and the life she has now.” 

Gianna Visto and her mother, Jennifer Visto, a day before discharge. 


Today, Gianna is full of life. She’s about to turn four years old and is preparing to start preschool. Just recently, she returned to TMC—not as a patient, but as a bright and energetic little performer during the homecoming event for liver transplant patients, donors, and their families held on March 29, 2025. 

Her story is one of many that prove a second life is not only possible—it’s happening, here and now, at The Medical City. 

Because here, we believe that every life is worth saving. And every second chance is worth fighting for. 


About The Medical City

The Medical City is the Philippines’ largest integrated healthcare network. It is composed of one flagship complex in Ortigas, five provincial hospitals (Clark, Laguna, Iloilo, Pangasinan, and Guam), and over 70 clinics nationwide. Annually, it serves over 2 million outpatients and 33,000 inpatients across the system.

With multiple Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditations, global benchmark certifications, and continued investment in innovation, The Medical City is building a healthcare system not just for today — but for the future of Filipino care.

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