Wendi Chaddick
Patient Advocate
The story of a mother!
Wendi Chaddick was raised in Southern California, and currently lives in Dove Canyon with her husband, Bryan. She has four children Aaron, Andrew, Nicholas, and Rebecca Lanari.
Wendi is a successful, small business owner of Mulberry House Staging and Redesign. A desire to help customers sell their homes at top dollar as well as a creative eye to lend her expertise in redesign has been her passion since launching the business in 2016.
Wendi’s involvement with a variety of Liver Foundations goes back to 1985 when her first child, Aaron, was born. At eight weeks old, he was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia. Aaron received his first liver transplant just before his third birthday in 1988. At the time, liver transplantations were an innovation in the medical field and particularly in children. Wendi recalls the heartbreak and challenges after the transplantation. Aaron’s body rejected the new liver and he became extremely ill. For about a year, Aaron was in and out of the hospital. Her favorite doctor was Dr. Busuttil, who would visit him in the clinic and would call him “one of his babies.”
When Aaron was twenty years old, he needed another liver transplant. He had contacted Hepatitis C. At the time there was no cure for this disease. His liver function deteriorated and his name was put on the liver transplant list. Aaron received his second transplant at twenty years old in 2005. Sixteen years later, Aaron needed a third liver transplant and a kidney transplant. Sadly, he was unable to receive these, and on March 21, 2021, succumbed to his disease. The family lost their oldest son.
Despite his illness and battles with liver disease, Aaron lived life to its fullest. He was energetic and had a desire to try new adventures and enjoy life while he could. In fact, he had a small tattoo on his arm that said, “love Life.” After his passing many of his friends chose to have the same tattoo on their arms in Aaron’s memory.
Since Aaron’s birth and illness, Wendi was active with liver groups and foundations. As Arron’s condition worsened, Wendi began participating in the Liver Life Walks in Orange County with Aaron and her family in 2016. The Walk provided an opportunity for Aaron and Wendi to meet other liver patients, share liver stories, and learn from each other. Wendi served as the Liver Champion for the Liver Life Walk in Orange County in 2017 and has continued her involvement with Liver Health Foundation continuously. Every year, Liver Health Foundation is excited to see Wendi and her family and Tem AJ. Wendi participates as the leader of Team AJ, raises funds, speaks at the events, and disseminates information about liver disease.
Wendi continues to work with the Liver Health Foundation as a Board Member with a goal of increasing awareness of liver disease. She hopes for cures for all forms of liver disease.
We are in awe of Wendi and her family’s dedication to the memory of AJ (Aaron).