Race to save tot Chloe, 1
●Chloe taken off life saving transplant list ●Family begs for help ●Docs say ‘let her go’
A DESPERATE family are in a race against time to save their tot after she was taken off the transplant list due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Chloe Green will die if she does not receive a new liver after she was born with previously undiagnosed heart and liver issues.
But the 14-month-old was taken off the transplant list when Birmingham Children’s Hospital cancelled her assessments and told her heartbroken family to “let her go”.
Her parents are now desperately ringing around specialist hospitals begging for help.
Mum Emma said: “She is the happiest baby girl, she doesn’t deserve this.
“Of course the coronavirus pandemic is horrendous but we are terrified that it has taken our baby girl’s chance at life.
“We were ready to go and everything was stopped. I understand the hospital staff are doing all they can, and we understand there will be delays while everyone is trying so hard.”
She added: “At the moment they are only conducting emergency transplants. Doing a transplant at this time is also considered unfavourable as the child would be immunosuppressed following it.
“But to tell us they will no longer do the operation is too difficult to take. We will fight all the way for Chloe.”
Chloe was born last February. Shortly after it was discovered her heart has two left atrium instead of a left and a right.
Doctors found her heart was located more towards the centre of her chest and, as a result, caused liver problems, which meant bile was not being drained properly.
Emma, from Bognor Regis, West Sussex, said: “She had heart surgery at one week old to look at the issues. There was a small hole that was repaired and she also had a membrane covering one of her heart valves, but surgeons managed to do something about that. The main issue is the liver.
“As with all transplant lists, the wait is never known. But because of her high need and the worry of her deteriorating, she was placed as a high priority.
“We were also told family members could be tested because adults can regenerate liver cells.
“We were over the moon, we thought we were getting somewhere.” But everything fell apart last month as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold of the UK. Chloe had been in the care of King’s College London, where it was decided that because of her heart history, the best place for her would be Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Teams there specialise in both heart and liver problems. But Emma said: “In March they told us they were cancelling Chloe’s appointments, and considering she had had heart problems they now did not see fit to do the procedure at all, and told us we should let her go.
“It was heartbreaking. And we just can’t do that. There’s too much hope and fight in Chloe.”
The family were transferred from London to Southampton General Hospital, where Chloe was originally treated and remains in lockdown. Only one parent can be with her at any time.
Emma said it was “incredibly difficult” but all the medics they had seen had been “amazing”.
The family have been calling around hospitals pleading for help and this week spoke with Leeds, who have said they are “prepared to assess” Chloe with a view to seeing her next week. Emma said: “We will take whatever we can. We just want to give our girl a chance.”
We have contacted Birmingham Children’s Hospital for comment.