04/30/2026
At 16, Charlize Lopez was a student-athlete at Key West High School, playing golf, softball, and leading in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC). Everything changed last summer, when she was airlifted to Holtz Children's Hospital, fighting for her life.
She was diagnosed with Wilson Disease, a rare condition where copper builds up in the liver, causing it to fail. Dr. Jessica Hochberg and the pediatric liver team at Miami Transplant Institute (MTI) acted fast, and surgeon Dr. Akin Tekin performed a life-saving liver transplant just days later.
The recovery wasn't easy. A viral infection set her back, and at one point, even lost control of her legs. But through physical therapy, she rebuilt her strength, reunited with her friends, and before long, crossed the finish line of not one but two 5Ks, something that felt unimaginable just months before.
Today, Charlize is back at Key West High School, starring as the lead in her school's production of Legally Blonde, and ready to conquer her senior year.
💬 "I want to still be myself and have a college experience," she said. And she's doing exactly that.
Her story is proof that with the right team, miracles happen. 💙 Read more about Charlize's story at https://jacksonhealth.org/blog/charlize-lopezs-comeback-conquering-wilson-disease-a-liver-transplant-and-senior-year-of-high-school/