THE ‘GIFT of life’ has been given to a Rugby seven-year-old after a successful liver transplant.
Eleanor Brinkley is back at school for the new term after she underwent a life-saving operation earlier this summer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital – and is now joining their campaign to encourage more people to become organ donors.
Ever since being diagnosed with a rare condition – progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2 – when she was only three months old, Eleanor has been cared for by the hospital’s renowned specialist liver unit.
Staying in care, her liver eventually deteriorated to a point where a transplant was desperately needed.
Her parents, Claire and Peter Brinkley, faced an agonising wait as the search for a matching donor went on.
Claire, an autism advisory teacher, said: “We knew Eleanor would one day need a transplant, so the news wasn’t a total shock but it still placed an enormous strain on all of us. You do your best to remain positive and to try and live as normal life as you can, but you can never escape it. It’s always there.”
After almost six months of waiting, a suitable liver donor was found and Eleanor was in the operating theatre within hours to undergo the life-saving transplant.
Eleanor recovered well and earlier this week joined her classmates and 10-year-old brother, Thomas, for the first day of term at her new school, Bilton Junior.
Claire added: “The transformation has been remarkable. You could literally see the difference to her the day after the operation and things have just got better and better.
“It’s virtually impossible to express the gratitude we feel for the donor and their family. For their loved ones it must have been a time of devastation and grief, but their decision has helped our daughter live.”
Eleanor is now attending swimming and ballet dancing classes and hopes to take part in a Mud Run event to raise money for the hospital.
Professor Deirdre Kelly CBE Founding Director of Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s Liver Unit, said: “All of our team are delighted to see Eleanor recovering so well and enjoying the first days at her new school. She’s now able to enjoy the things that most other children of her age take for granted.
“That’s been made possible because a suitable donor was found. There are still many young people waiting for organs, which is why we’re fully supporting Organ Donation Week. We’d encourage everyone to find out more, sign up and share their decision with their loved ones.”
Visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call Organ Donor Line on 03001 232323 for more information.
