PIONEERED LIVER OPS RECREATE PHOTO children given gift of life
Since that first operation a quarter of a century ago, nearly 500 more lives have been saved in the UK thanks to living donor liver transplantation.
Among the others recreating that picture of the groundbreaking tots was Kelly Young – eight months old and just 36 hours from death when Dr Tan transplanted a slice of her mum Denise’s liver into her in August 1994. Swimming teacher Kelly, of Minchinhampton near Stroud, Glos, is now 25 and has competed in six World Transplant Games, winning medals.
Denise, 57, said she didn’t need to think twice about becoming a live donor to save her daughter, who also had biliary atresia.
But she was reminded of the risk she took when she was rushed back to theatre post-op to stop a life-threatening bleed. Denise said: “When you are told your daughter doesn’t have much longer to live, you don’t take in the risk. We knew there was a risk to me, but for Kelly death without a transplant was inevitable. I had been through all the counselling and for me there was no turning back.”
Matthew Pitman was four and dying from extra hepatic biliary atresia when he had a segment of his mum Janet’s liver transplanted into him in May 1994. Now 29, he lives in Shepton Beauchamp in Somerset and works for Taylor Wimpey in Exeter.
The others recreating that 1994 photoshoot were Robbie Sheargold, who had the op in February, and Lani Ward who was saved the following month. Heather Greig, missing from the adult line-up, had her transplant in June 1994. Reflecting on the part he played in British medical history, Dr Tan – now practising in Singapore – told us:
“We couldn’t stand by and watch children dying whi le we had a technique that could save their lives.
But we didn’t have an easy time convincing people We had to convince our own ethics committee at the hospital, the
Royal College of Surgeons, doubting colleagues at other transplant centres and health ministers.”
He added: “It was one of the most satisfying operations. It’s the greatest gift a parent can give to a child.”
Lisa Burnapp, lead nurse for living donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “It is wonderful to celebrate this important milestone in living donor liver transplantation, which has saved hundreds of lives in the UK in the last 25 years.” nicola.small @sunday mirror.
co.uk