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2006 February 20 - Local liver disease girl celebrates 1st anniversary of transplant

A local girl will be celebrating the first anniversary of her life-saving liver transplant on 7th March 2006. 

Two year old Jasmine Mirza from Farnborough will be celebrating the special day with her family including father Sohrab who gave her a unique gift when he donated part of his own liver for the transplant.

Jasmine was just seven months old when she was found to have ascites, an abnormal collection of fluid in the abdomen, in August 2004.  Further investigations diagnosed sclerosing cholangitis, a liver disease in which the bile ducts inside and outside the liver become inflamed and the liver becomes scarred. As the inflammation increases, the ducts eventually become blocked and bile builds up in the liver causing cell damage.  This can lead ultimately to acute liver failure and Jasmine’s parents were told that she urgently needed a liver transplant or she could die. 

Mum Cathie says, “We were devastated when we were told how desperately ill Jasmine was.  We didn’t even know that children could get liver disease until she became ill which made what we were being told even harder to comprehend.  We just wanted her to get better straight away and not go through any more pain.”

In January 2005 Jasmine was admitted to Kings College Hospital, one of only three specialist children’s liver units in the UK and was put on the donor waiting list.   As Jasmine’s condition began to deteriorate further and a donor liver had still not become available, so the family discussed with specialists the option of a living related transplant. 

Sohrab underwent tests to see if he could donate part of his own liver to Jasmine and he was found to be a suitable donor.   The life-saving transplant took place on 7th March 2005 where around 30% of Sohrab’s liver was given to Jasmine.  Jasmine’s new liver will grow as she does. Sohrab’s liver also regenerated returning to its normal size within about 8 weeks of the operation.

Sohrab says, “Donor livers are so scarce and it was heart-breaking waiting for one to become available and not knowing what the future may hold.  Like most parents I would do anything to ease my daughter’s pain so the decision to donate part of my liver was an easy one in a way.  Although going through such a big operation was an ordeal for the whole family, seeing Jasmine’s progress since the operation has been wonderful.”

Jasmine is now going from strength to strength, although her parents are very much aware that she will never be out of the woods.  Jasmine will require daily medication to prevent her from rejecting her new liver and monitoring for the rest of her life.

The family are keen to raise awareness of childhood liver disease and the work of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF), the charity which offered vital emotional support when Jasmine was diagnosed.  The charity also funds research into childhood liver diseases to help children like Jasmine in the future. 

Cathie says, “CLDF have been a lifeline since Jasmine was diagnosed, providing much needed information and also emotional and practical support especially during the really hard times.  Now that Jasmine is doing well, we really want to give something back by helping raise awareness of childhood liver disease and the work of the Foundation.”

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, adds, "We are delighted that Jasmine is doing so well a year on from her transplant.  Jasmine’s story highlights how transplants can transform lives but there is a desperate lack of donor organs.   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. 

“Parents like Sohrab and Cathie still do not why or how Jasmine had a liver disease which is why our research programmes are so important.  However, research is hugely expensive, so we really need support. The fact is that liver disease can affect any child of any age.  It could be your child next, or grandchild, nephew or niece.  We need more people to champion our work and help babies and children like Jasmine to have a future. ”

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.

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