Heartbreak for our Abi
New test says dad not ‘ perfect donor’ for kidney girl, 13
STRICKEN teenager Abi Longfellow’s kidney transplant operation has been cancelled, leaving her and her family in turmoil.
Her dad Andy was due to donate one of his kidneys as it was thought he was a perfect match.
But new medical tests done at the 11th hour showed Abi’s body would probably reject the organ.
Abi, 13, told the Sunday People l ast night: “I’m absolutely devastated. I had built myself up mentally and emotionally onally for the surgery. To find out I now won’t n’t have it is awful.”
Her hopes now lie with five other relatives who are being tested for a possible match.
If this bid fails,s, Abi faces a likely wait of two to three years ars on the national transplant plant list list.
The cancellation of the op is a terrible blow for the Longfellows who fought to get their daughter a drug called Eculizumab that should give her a real chance of survival after surgery.
Sunday People readers backed the campaign in their thousands.
And three months ago the NHS agreed to fund the expensive medication. After numerous tests in 2014, including a full body scan and biopsy, which apparently showed he was a “100 per cent match” for a transplant, Andy was all set for the surgery. A recent breakthrough in the US has led to a more accurate genetic test. Leeds General Infirmary sent the dad’s blood for the check and it revealed the planned transplant would be a major risk for him and Abi. Andy, 46, said: “Knowing I could give Abi life was our light at the end of the tunnel. All through our fight for Eculizumab it was the one thing that kept us all going. “I wanted to be the one to give Abi a new life... but now it won’t happen. To say I was gutted wouldn wouldn’t t come close.” Abi’s consultant Dr Eric Finla Finlay said: “Abi and he her father were our fi first patients to und dergo the test and, unfortunately, the result indicated a r rare genetic mutat tion which would adverselyad affect the s su uccess of t he plan planned transplant.” Abi’s m mumm Jo, 45, said: “The only comfort we take from it is that the risk to Abi and Andy was identified before the transplant. “As he shares some of the same genetic markers as Abi, there’s a chance his remaining kidney could have suffered damage.” She added: “We bought Abi a kitten a few weeks ago to keep her company when she wakes up at night du during dialysis. [After being told the op had been cancelled] she went to fetch it and came back in and si simply said ‘how’s Dad?’.” A loop loophole meant Abi’s disease was too rare to be prescribed Eculizum Eculizumab but not rare enough to be cla classed a special case. The drugs campaignca went right up to David Cameron,Ca who vowed to give her case his personal attention. Abi, of Wakefield, West Yorks, spen spends 11 hours a day on a dialysis machine. She has been unable to attendatte school full-time since she fell ill in 2013 and was diagnoseddi with dense depositpo disease. Abi is home schooled,sc having lessons whenw well enough.
I’m gutted... I wanted to be the one to give Abi a new life