Wiltshire toddler thriving after heart transplant as parents urge donations

The mother of a Wiltshire toddler who had her life saved by a heart transplant is encouraging others to consider organ donation to give others a second chance in life.

Jodie and her partner Rich spent 18 months in hospital with daughter Amelia until her life-saving transplant early last year.

Amelia, who was born nine weeks early in January 2021, fell ill at about 18 months old.

What was initially suspected to be an ear infection turned out to be dilated cardiopathy, which meant the family had to spend months in London's Great Ormond Street hospital.

"It was a lot of ups and downs during that time," mum Jodie told Greatest Hits Radio.

While awaiting Amelia's donor, Jodie and Rich also welcomed their second child, Blossom, in 2022.

They told us their life was very chaotic in those weeks and months, but Blossom's arrival meant they had to create a new normal.

Jodie said: "In some ways it made it made us have a routine in hospital because you can't just be around the bedside 24/7, there are nurses there and we're not allowed to stay with her on the bedside at night.

"I think if we don't have blossom, we would have just stayed with Mia the whole time."

'We cherish even the smallest things'

But since her transplant last year, Amelia is now thriving.

"She's been home and loving life at nursery, seeing friends and family ,going to parties, going to the park, stuff that a normal parent and child take for granted," said Jodie.

She said it means they cherish every moment with their daughter, who turns four this month.

Jodie said: "It's the little things like even just giving her a bath, we weren't allowed to give her a bath. When she first come home, we gave her a bath and she's like, 'what's this?', it's been incredible."

The parents, who will get married later this year, are encouraging others to consider donating life-changing organs.

"I feel like it's a little bit of part of your loss is living through somebody else and you're giving somebody else a second chance of life," Jodie said, adding: "It's not just children as adults as well, there's so many people waiting for different organs.

"I think it's so important that we just keep spreading the word and it just gives us hope."

According to NHS figures, almost 300 children are waiting for an organ donor.

Jodie added: "We always say we've got three children because of her donor child that passed on their heart.

"I feel like that that donor child is always with us as well."

Waiting to Live Campaign

Amelia has also been part of a campaign to raise awareness of the need for organ donation.

The Waiting to Live campaign, supported by the NHS Blood and Transplant, saw a group of children waiting for their life-saving transplant recreated as a doll.

Jodie said being part of the campaign was an opportunity she jumped at.

She told us Amelia was recreated as a little Bunny, saying that it included specific parts of a photo they shared, including Amelia's hair, dress and smile.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “For many children on the transplant waiting list, their only hope is the parents of another child saying 'yes' to organ donation at a time of immense sadness and personal grief.

“Losing a child is tragic and such a difficult time, which is why we’re asking parents to think about what they might do around organ donation now. Families tell us that knowing their child has helped other people and another family is not facing the loss of a child too can be comforting.

“We urge parents to think and talk about organ donation for themselves and their children today. Your decision could help save lives.”