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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Heart transplants for two babies | Heart transplants for two babies |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two sick babies have received new hearts within minutes of each other at the same Tyneside Hospital. | Two sick babies have received new hearts within minutes of each other at the same Tyneside Hospital. |
| Ellen Walsh, 10 months, and Patrick Skinner, two, both of North Tyneside, are recovering after the operations at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital on Monday. | Ellen Walsh, 10 months, and Patrick Skinner, two, both of North Tyneside, are recovering after the operations at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital on Monday. |
| Leukaemia sufferer Patrick had been on the transplant list since Christmas, and Ellen since she was born. | Leukaemia sufferer Patrick had been on the transplant list since Christmas, and Ellen since she was born. |
| The hospital said it was the first time staff had performed heart transplants on two babies on the same day. | The hospital said it was the first time staff had performed heart transplants on two babies on the same day. |
| Ellen was born with two holes in her heart and her arteries the wrong way round. | Ellen was born with two holes in her heart and her arteries the wrong way round. |
| Ellen's parents talk about the operation | |
| Patrick, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in July, suffered heart failure after his body reacted badly to chemotherapy drugs. | Patrick, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in July, suffered heart failure after his body reacted badly to chemotherapy drugs. |
| He was placed on a double Berlin Heart machine on Boxing Day which kept his blood circulating until a donor was found. | He was placed on a double Berlin Heart machine on Boxing Day which kept his blood circulating until a donor was found. |
| On Monday, Ellen's parents Stefanie, 30, and Ian, 34, of Appletree Gardens, Monkseaton, North Tyneside, got the call to say an organ had been found. | On Monday, Ellen's parents Stefanie, 30, and Ian, 34, of Appletree Gardens, Monkseaton, North Tyneside, got the call to say an organ had been found. |
| Hours later Patrick's father Kevin, 28, and mother Devon, 25, of Paignton Avenue, also received the same call. | Hours later Patrick's father Kevin, 28, and mother Devon, 25, of Paignton Avenue, also received the same call. |
| Donor transplant coordinator at the hospital, Lynn Robson, said: "We have done three heart transplants in 24 hours before, but this is the first time we have ever done two transplants on babies in a day. | Donor transplant coordinator at the hospital, Lynn Robson, said: "We have done three heart transplants in 24 hours before, but this is the first time we have ever done two transplants on babies in a day. |
| "The operations were a success and both babies are recovering well." | "The operations were a success and both babies are recovering well." |
| Mrs Walsh said: "At first we didn't realise Patrick was getting a heart transplant and I felt guilty Ellen was having the operation. | Mrs Walsh said: "At first we didn't realise Patrick was getting a heart transplant and I felt guilty Ellen was having the operation. |
| "It was amazing when we discovered Patrick was having the operation too." | "It was amazing when we discovered Patrick was having the operation too." |