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2006 July 7 - National Transplant Week - Family of local liver transplant girl join forces with chil

To celebrate National Transplant Week, To celebrate National Transplant Week which takes place from 9th - 15th July, the family of a Winchester girl who underwent a life saving liver transplant is joining forces with Children’s Liver Disease Foundation to urge the public to join the organ donor register.

John and Jackie French from Littleton were devastated when in February 2004 their 14 month daughter, Elspeth, was diagnosed with a hepatoblastoma - a rare cancer of the liver affecting 7-10 children each year in the UK. 

Jackie, an ex midwife and nurse, was acutely aware of the long hard road ahead which involved chemotherapy at Piam Brown Paediatric Ward at Southampton General Hospital to reduce the size of the tumour in her liver and support care at Northbrook Ward at Winchester Hospital.  The family were also given the heart-breaking news that due to the spread of the tumour, a life saving transplant was inevitable. 

Jackie says, “The hospital became part of our life, I spent 100 nights there with Elspeth.  I had to give up work to be with her and John needed to continue working so my son Angus, who was just 3½ years old, had to be cared for by an au-pair and friends much of the time.  It was really hard on the whole family.”

Elspeth finished her initial course of chemotherapy in May 2004 and was put on the transplant list for the desperate wait for a donor organ to be come available.  Elspeth was given only three weeks for a suitable liver to become available after which time Jackie was to undergo a living related transplant. This would have involved Elspeth receiving a small part of her mother’s liver.  To the family’s great relief, a donor liver became available one week before the living related donor transplant was scheduled. Elspeth underwent her life saving liver transplant on 6th June 2004 at King’s College Hospital, London (one of three specialist liver unit hospitals in the UK). Elspeth then returned to Southampton General Hospital to have a further three cycles of aggressive chemotherapy to complete her course.

Elspeth will require regular monitoring and daily medication for the rest of her life to prevent her rejecting her new liver, however since the transplant she has gone from strength to strength.   

John says, “When Elspeth was first diagnosed with liver cancer it came as a complete shock and seeing our little girl have to endure hours of chemotherapy and then a life saving transplant was heart-breaking for us all.  But the transplant has really transformed all our lives, we are able to be a normal family again.  We will never forget the donor family’s special gift which allowed her to be here today living life to the full.”

Throughout this awful experience, the French family have received vital emotional and practical support from Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, the only organisation in the UK dedicated to fighting childhood liver disease.    Now that Elspeth is doing so well the family are working with the charity to help raise awareness that children are affected by liver disease and to urge the public to join the organ donor register.
Jackie adds, “We know first hand what a difference transplants can make and really hope people will consider joining the register.  We were lucky; Elspeth received her liver transplant in time. Tragically, we know that not all families are so fortunate.”

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, says, “It is great to see how well Elspeth is doing.  Transplants help give a future to children with liver disease and really can transform lives. Our thoughts go to the donor family who have given a most precious gift.  I hope they have some comfort in knowing how much hope and joy they have given to others through their unselfish act.  In the meantime, there continues to be a desperate lack of donor organs and children do die as a result.  We urge the public to think about registering on the organ donor register (www.uktransplant.org) and talk to their relatives to make their wishes known.  The difference it could make to a family is indescribable.”

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:
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

National transplant week
National Transplant Week run by Transplants in Mind  takes place between 9th – 15th July and is a week of publicity and
events to promote organ and tissue donation for transplantation. For more information visit www.transplantsinmind.org.uk or call
0117 931 4638