Parents praise donor family for giving their boy gift of life
The mum of a liver transplant patient has thanked the donor family who helped them to celebrate birthdays and Christmases that once felt impossible.
Leyland became critically ill, needing the life-saving transplant which was successfully carried out at our Children’s Hospital when he was aged 18 months.
Now aged four, his mum Laura, from Edinburgh, has praised the medics who carried out his surgery and the family of the donor who has changed their lives.
"We will never be able to thank them enough,” Laura said. "During the darkest time in their lives, they made the selfless decision to say yes to organ donation, giving our son the future we once feared he might never have. Because of them, we’ve celebrated birthdays, Christmases and countless ordinary family moments that once felt impossible.”
Unbeknownst to Leyland’s family, the youngster was born in June 2022 with a rare genetic condition which eventually left him needing a new liver.
Laura knew something wasn’t quite right when she spotted subtle signs like pale poo, poor weight gain and a rash. His eyes also remained slightly jaundiced for longer than expected.
He was diagnosed with a cow’s milk protein allergy, and once his formula was changed, those symptoms quickly settled and he developed into a healthy toddler.
However, after his first birthday, Laura noticed his stomach was unusually swollen and her GP referred him for further tests.
A scan soon after showed significant scarring on his liver.
"That was the moment our world changed,” explained Laura "We were told that Leyland had cirrhosis and ascites, but nobody knew why. We were asked to bring him in for a week of intensive investigations.
That week was one of the hardest of our lives. I was around 20 weeks pregnant with our third child, trying to prepare for a new baby while being told that our little boy had end-stage liver disease.”
Further testing confirmed that Leyland had Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (PiZZ type).
"Finally having a diagnosis brought some relief, but we quickly learned that although we now knew the cause of his illness, the damage to his liver was so severe that his only chance of survival was a liver transplant.”
Leyland was discharged from Edinburgh on the Friday and by Sunday morning, they were travelling to our Children’s Hospital for a liver transplant assessment.
“The team at Birmingham were incredible. They explained everything with compassion and honesty, but emotionally it was one of the hardest weeks of my life. I was heavily pregnant, hundreds of miles from home and trying to absorb information no parent ever expects to hear.”
Leyland was put on the transplant list and the family waited anxiously to hear when there was a match. Laura and Leyland returned home to Edinburgh to the rest of the family.
However, after arriving home, Leyland became seriously ill, with his heart rate dropping to a dangerously low level and he was airlifted back to our Children’s Hospital.
Laura stayed with Leyland in Birmingham with the support of her mum, whilst her husband Russell cared for their daughter Isla and spent time with his older son Leo.
“My mum took care of everything outside the hospital room so I could focus entirely on Leyland,” Laura added.
“I honestly don’t know how I would have got through those seven weeks without her, and I will always be grateful for everything she did for us.”
After weeks of intensive treatment, he improved and returned to Scotland with his mum.
Laura recalled: "Even in those precious moments, we knew our bags had to stay packed. We were still waiting for the phone call that could save our son’s life. Soon after, they were given the news they’d been waiting for – a suitable match had become available.
“It was the call we had longed for, yet when it finally arrived, it brought a completely different kind of fear.”
Laura, Russell and Leyland travelled to Birmingham for the operation.
“When you’ve spent months waiting for the transplant call, you imagine you’ll feel nothing but relief,” explained Laura.
“The reality is very different. Knowing your child is about to undergo major surgery, the only thing that can save their life, is overwhelming. After the final checks confirmed the transplant could go ahead, we stayed with Leyland until the very last moment. We kissed him, told him how much we loved him and watched as he was taken into theatre. Then all we could do was wait. The hours felt endless.
“Just after midnight, we were told the transplant had been successful. A few hours later, we were finally allowed to see him in intensive care.<&rdquo
His recovery was remarkable. Five days later, he was sitting up in his chair and was finally beginning to heal, which meant the family were home in time for Christmas in 2023.
And for Leyland’s sister Isla, her festive wish had come true.
Laura added: “She had made one simple wish, that her little brother would receive his new liver before Santa came.”
Today, Leyland is a thriving four-year-old with endless energy and an even bigger personality. He’s cheeky, adventurous and happiest when he’s outdoors — and loves to play golf (pictured).
“Watching him run, laugh and simply enjoy being a child is something we’ll never take for granted.
Today, because of the extraordinary generosity of one donor family, he has that chance."
Read her full story: Leyland's story - Liver UK