The mother of a child who received a donated liver from a deceased teenager has spoken out about feeling guilty that somebody had to die to save her son. Claire’s son Leo received a transplant when he was just five months old after numerous unsuccessful attempts. She admits that knowing the liver had come from a deceased person made her feel guilty for wanting it but desperately needing it at the same time.
She is now urging people to discuss their organ donation wishes with their families, so that if the unthinkable happens, their organs can be made available to others who desperately need them. Claire now sends a message to others that if you’re willing to accept an organ, then it is critical to think about donating organs if possible.
Leo’s parents have faced a difficult journey before he received the liver transplant. Claire and her husband suffered multiple miscarriages before travelling to Greece for IVF treatment. The couple was told that Leo seemed healthy during the pregnancy, and they looked forward to the arrival of their healthy baby boy.
After Leo was born, Claire became concerned when her baby’s bowel movements became green, but despite this being put down to breastfeeding, she knew something wasn’t right. After noticing that he was very yellow, her concerns grew. Five days later, he was admitted to hospital, and then four or five days later was transferred for a transplant.
Despite four livers being initially available for transplant, none of them were suitable for Leo. Leo’s parents were terrified when seeing Leo’s health deteriorating, and they were absolutely elated when a suitable liver eventually became available, and Leo’s condition started to improve quite rapidly after the operation.
Claire wants everyone to know that there is a shortage of organ donors and often families override their relatives’ decisions to donate, and this is having a knock-on effect, with an increasing number of potential donations being refused. She urges individuals to discuss their wishes with their families, and celebrate reading milestones reached by Leo each year
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