Little Ava back at home after emergency op
TRANSPLANT girl Ava Stark is recovering at home following emergency surgery to clear an infection.
The four-year-old was rushed to hospital after developing a fever on Saturday afternoon.
Ava had developed an infection in her Hickman line – a tube in her chest that administers medication into the bloodstream.
She had surgery at the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh on Sunday and was allowed home late on Tuesday afternoon.
Her mum Marie said: “She’s now home safe and sound.”
Ava touched the hearts of the nation after being diagnosed with bone marrow failure in April 2016.
She relied on blood and platelet transfusions to keep her alive while medics searched for a matching bone marrow donor that would offer her the best chance of recovery.
A match was found but pulled out, prompting Ava’s family to issue a worldwide appeal through the Daily Record for more donors to join the donation register.
After a second heartbreak, a suitable donor was found and Ava, of Lochgelly, Fife, had the transplant a year ago.
Marie, 34, said of her latest scare: “The infection had spread from her Hickman line into her blood but they managed to catch it just in time.
“After the surgery, her condition started to improve within 24 hours.”