British diplomat’s special visit to meet lifesaving surgeon
This is the moment the British Ambassador to Brazil met with the Birmingham surgeon who helped to save her life.
Mr Hector Vilca-Melendez from our Children’s Hospital had flown out to Brasilia, Brazil, to perform an emergency liver transplant on Her Excellency Mrs Stephanie Al-Qaq in January last year.
And following the successful surgery, the diplomat was keen to meet the British transplant surgeon, originally from South America, at his place of work to show her gratitude more than a year on.
Mrs Al-Qaq said: “It was a great joy to meet Dr Vilca-Melendez again and learn more about his work and that of his colleagues at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
“Despite the challenging treatments faced by patients, parents, and the professionals involved, I witnessed an environment marked by warmth, empathy, colourful corridors, and inviting playrooms. It is a place where there are inevitably tears, yet people still manage to smile. Meeting so many people who make healthcare their life’s mission was a privilege, and I will carry fond memories of this day."
Hector said: “It was an honour to welcome Her Excellency Mrs Al-Qaq to the hospital and show her where we care for many of our children who have serious liver and intestinal conditions and maybe in need of a transplant,” he said.
“She met with many of the patients and their parents and was able to learn more about how we treat them and see the surgical theatres where we carry out liver and intestinal transplantation.
“For me it was a particularly emotional meeting. I was the lead surgeon of the Brazilian liver transplant team that carried out her surgery in Brasilia after being called out to help in this emergency. It was a pleasure to see her fit and well, reassuming already her important work as Ambassador. She had a real interest in what we do at the Children’s Hospital and how we are developing treatment for our liver patients.”
Mrs Al-Qaq had contracted dengue fever in December 2024 and became one of fewer than one per cent of patients who develop acute liver failure (fulminant hepatitis), a complication with a 50 per cent mortality rate.
She became seriously ill and suffered inflammation and swelling of her liver. Hector was flown over to Brazil and worked with surgeons to carry out the 11-hour procedure.
Hector added: “Brazil has an international reputation of excellence in liver transplantation, with surgical and medical teams that can perform complex operations.
“I was welcomed by the whole local Brazilian team and I was allowed to display the experience that I gained in the UK after 30 years of working in London and now in Birmingham, as a liver surgeon.
"Surgery is just one part of the process of liver transplantation and the steady post-transplant recovery of our ambassador, is confirmation of the high-quality care that the local transplant team provided for her and I am very grateful for their friendly support.”