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Shropshire mum celebrates with twin boys - 21/02/08

A Shropshire mum who feared she would lose her son after he was diagnosed with an incurable liver disease and needed an urgent liver transplant is urging people to support a national charity close to her heart.

Full time mum Joanne Underwood from Oswestry will be celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday 2 March with her five year old twins Dylan and Spencer. Joanne is sharing her story to help raise awareness of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF), a unique organisation dedicated to fighting childhood liver disease. The charity provided vital support when Dylan became critically ill as a baby.

At three weeks old Dylan remained jaundiced and doctors referred him to the specialist paediatric liver unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.  He was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a life threatening condition in which the bile ducts become progressively blocked leading to irreversible liver damage.

A corrective operation failed and the family were told that Dylan would need a liver transplant to survive.  He was placed on the transplant waiting list and to the family’s immense relief a donor organ became available a month later. 

Dylan remained in hospital for five weeks but has since made a good recovery and recently underwent his five year post-transplant ‘MOT’.  He continues to suffer a number of un-associated medical conditions but enjoys attending Ifton Heath Primary School with Spencer.

Joanne says: “I was completely shocked when Dylan was diagnosed with liver disease and I know how lucky I am to be spending Mother’s Day with both of my boys. Few people realise that babies, children and young people can be affected by liver disease through no fault of their own or their parents.  In fact two children like Dylan are struck down by liver disease every day in the UK.

“CLDF gave me a lifeline when Dylan was diagnosed and I know I can call upon CLDF’s services whenever I may need them in the future. The charity also funds important research into the causes of liver disease but it desperately needs money to continue this work.”

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation adds: “Sadly, Joanne and Dylan’s story is one which remains all too common.  A diagnosis of liver disease is devastating for a family but CLDF’s support, education and research programmes give enormous hope. However these can only continue with public support. People can make a difference to thousands of families and every penny really does help.”

For further information on the work of the Foundation 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:
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