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Baby tops heart transplant list | Baby tops heart transplant list |
(about 11 hours later) | |
An 18-month-old girl who has had six heart attacks since she was born has been put at the top of the European heart transplant list. | An 18-month-old girl who has had six heart attacks since she was born has been put at the top of the European heart transplant list. |
Zoe Chambers, from Hull, is being kept alive by an artificial heart at the Newcastle Freeman Hospital. | Zoe Chambers, from Hull, is being kept alive by an artificial heart at the Newcastle Freeman Hospital. |
Doctors have said Zoe, who was born with a heart valve which was too narrow, has only weeks to live unless she gets a transplant. | Doctors have said Zoe, who was born with a heart valve which was too narrow, has only weeks to live unless she gets a transplant. |
A heart became available last week but it was decided it was too large. | A heart became available last week but it was decided it was too large. |
Paediatric intensive care consultant at Newcastle Freeman hospital, Yam Thiru, said they were "becoming more and more desperate for an organ to become available for her". | |
'Best chance' | 'Best chance' |
Two days after she was born a scan showed that one of Zoe's heart valves was struggling to allow blood to pass through. | Two days after she was born a scan showed that one of Zoe's heart valves was struggling to allow blood to pass through. |
Her mother Julie said: "She is desperate. She keeping getting infection after infection. | Her mother Julie said: "She is desperate. She keeping getting infection after infection. |
"She needs a transplant as soon as possible to give her the best chance." | "She needs a transplant as soon as possible to give her the best chance." |
If a suitable heart is found in any European country, it will be transported to the hospital by private aircraft. | If a suitable heart is found in any European country, it will be transported to the hospital by private aircraft. |
Julie Chambers added: "We need a small heart for Zoe and the right tissue match as well." | Julie Chambers added: "We need a small heart for Zoe and the right tissue match as well." |
She said the family were bearing up, but it was getting "harder and harder". | She said the family were bearing up, but it was getting "harder and harder". |
'Vital importance' | |
Ms Thiru, said: "This device that we've been using has been used on adults for a number of years - in children, it hasn't been used as long as that - perhaps up to a year or so." | |
She added: "The difficulty for Zoe has always been a shortage of paediatric donors - particularly in her size and weight category, which is of vital importance, in terms of transplantation. | |
"And really the aim for the press coverage that we've had, today in particular, is to heighten public awareness of the desperate need for paediatric organs. | |
"It's not about wishing misfortune on others, but hoping that where misfortune has occurred, that other children could benefit from that and that some good could come of it." |