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2005 December 19 - Local liver transplant boy celebrates 1st birthday

A local boy who was diagnosed with a liver disease and underwent a life-saving liver transplant when he was just six months old, is looking forward to celebrating his 1st birthday on 8th January. 

As a baby, Elliot Pollard from Mapplewell was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a disease in which the bile ducts become progressively blocked shortly after birth, leading to irreversible liver damage.

He underwent a corrective operation called a “kasai”, named after the Japanese surgeon who pioneered the procedure, at St James’s University Hospital, Leeds at four weeks old.  Unfortunately this was unsuccessful and Elliot underwent a life-saving liver transplant at the age of six months after a desperate wait for a donor organ.

Mother Catherine, explains, “Nobody expects their child to be born with a life-threatening illness. When Elliot was diagnosed with biliary atresia we were devastated.  What made it worse was that we didn’t know much about the disease and needed to learn a lot in a very short space of time.   Watching him go through the kasai operation, and then a transplant, was heart-breaking, but now that he has come through the other side, it all seems worthwhile.”

Since the transplant, Elliot has returned to hospital for regular check ups and was also admitted when he picked up a stomach bug in September, but is now coming on in leaps and bounds.  His jaundice has gone, he is gaining weight and is much more playful and active.

 “Elliot’s first birthday is a real milestone for the family.  Since his diagnosis we have been in and out of hospital and for three months after his transplant we could not take him to public places. Now that he is doing so well, we are really looking forward to doing normal family things such as going on holiday.” Catherine adds.

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, the charity which offered support to the family throughout Elliot’s diagnosis and transplant adds, "We are delighted that Elliot is doing so well and wish him a very happy first birthday.  We have no idea as to the cause of biliary atresia.  For many other parents, just like Catherine and Darren, this is an important issue for which they urgently seek an answer.  Our research programme has the potential to provide a vital light at the end of the tunnel, but this sort of work is expensive and still a cure eludes us too. 

“Elliot’s story highlights how transplant has given a future to children affected by liver disease.  But he will never be out of the woods and will always need to take medicines to fight rejection.  Our thoughts also go out to the donor family whose generosity saved Elliot’s life and we urge the public to think about registering on the UK organ donor register (www.uktransplant.org) and talk to their relatives to make their wishes known.”

Dad Darren is hoping to take part in the Great North Run in November to raise funds for the charity. “CLDF provided vital information when ElIiot was first diagnosed and have given emotional and practical support throughout this awful experience.  I am keen to help raise much needed funds for the charity and thought by running the Great North Run I could get fit at the same time.”

The family are also keen to raise awareness that children are affected by liver disease.  “Most people are not aware that two children are diagnosed with a liver disease each day in the UK, that’s a greater incidence than childhood leukaemia.” Darren adds.
For further information on the work of the Foundation, please visit www.childliverdisease.org or call 0121 212 3839.

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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:
The 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.