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2006 December 14 - New Year Celebrations for Catterick Garrison liver transplant girl

The family of a Catterick Garrison girl diagnosed with a life threatening liver disease are using the fifth birthday they feared she may never see to highlight the work of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF).

Shortly after she was born on New Years day 2002, Reagan Leyman, who lives with mum Michelle and younger brother Leaun in Colburn, was diagnosed with biliary atresia – a life threatening liver disease in which the bile ducts become progressively blocked leading to irreversible liver damage. 

A corrective operation proved to be unsuccessful and Reagan’s condition started to deteriorate.  The family were given the devastating news that Reagan’s only hope was a liver transplant.

Reagan was put on the transplant list in January 2004 and the desperate wait for a donor organ began.  The family finally got the news they’d been praying for eleven months later; a donor organ had become available and Reagan underwent the operation at Kings College Hospital, London on 14th December 2004.

Mum Michelle says, “Nobody expects to be told that their newborn child has a life-threatening and incurable illness.  I felt so helpless and the wait for a donor organ was horrendous – I really thought Reagan might die and I was so scared of bonding with her because of this.  Thankfully, due to one family’s unique and special gift, we are now celebrating Reagan’s fifth birthday.  It is a very special milestone for the whole family.”

Since Reagan’s diagnosis the family have received support from CLDF, a unique national charity dedicated to fighting childhood liver disease.  The family are using Reagan’s birthday celebrations to help raise awareness that children can be affected by liver disease – two children are diagnosed with a life threatening liver disease every day in the UK - and the vital work undertaken by CLDF. 

Michelle explains, “We met with a family support officer from CLDF at the hospital and they have offered support ever since, providing information and advice.  When Reagan was first diagnosed it was great to know that there was an organisation who knew what we were going through, it stopped us feeling alone. Thankfully Reagan has done well since her transplant, but it is so reassuring to know that CLDF are there for us whenever we might need them in the future.”

Reagan will require daily medication for life to help prevent her from rejecting her new liver, but she has gone from strength to strength since the operation and now attends Colburn Primary School.

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, adds, "It is great to hear how well Reagan is doing and we are very grateful to the family for using this special birthday to champion our work. Few people realise that more children are diagnosed with a liver disease than childhood leukaemia and there are currently no cures.  With over 100 different liver diseases which can affect any child of any age, we desperately need to raise more funds to continue and enhance our family support, education and research programmes. 

“But there is another very important message here, without the very generous gift from another family Reagan would not be here today.  We are all enormously grateful for this unselfish act and urge people to not only support CLDF’s work, but also join the organ donor register (www.uktransplant.org).  The simple fact is that you are more likely to be an organ recipient than an organ donor.  If you’re prepared to accept a donor organ then you should be prepared to be an organ donor.”

For further information on the work of the Foundation, please visit www.childliverdisease.org or call 0121 212 3839.

 - Ends -

For further information on this story please contact: 
Rachel Markham, Children’s Liver Disease Foundation,
Tel: 0121 212 6012, e-mail: communications@childliverdisease.org

Note to editors:

Photos attached:

• Reagan during her time in hospital
• Reagan is now going from strength to strength and enjoys attending Colburn Primary School 

Children’s Liver Disease Foundation is a unique national charity that fights childhood liver diseases through funding pioneering research and educating healthcare professionals and the general public. Formed in 1980, it provides professional, emotional support to families affected and is the only organisation of its kind in the UK.

Childhood liver disease – the facts
• More children in the UK are currently diagnosed with a liver disease than childhood leukaemia
• At least two children are diagnosed with a liver disease every day in the UK
• Most childhood liver diseases are life threatening; all mean a lifetime of care
• There are over 100 different liver diseases that can affect babies, children or young people
• For most childhood liver diseases the cause is unknown
• Liver disease has no cure
• CLDF is the only organisation in the UK dedicated to stamping out childhood liver disease