Mum gives best friend the perfect Christmas present - life for her baby daughter
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The life of a desperately sick baby girl was saved thanks to her mum's best friend in a liver transplant. Myla Evans was just five weeks old when she was rushed to hospital with a rash on her face. After tests, she was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a blockage in the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder.
The liver transplant was needed to save her life. Worried parents Laura and Liam travelled 232 miles from their home in Falkirk to Leeds Children's Hospital for Myla's treatment. They made a public appeal for a liver donor and Laura's best friend from school, fellow Scot Naedean Marshall (c), volunteered to undergo a series of tests.
The mum-of-three was found to be a perfect match and saved Myla's life. A tiny portion of Naedean's liver was enough to 'grow' a new liver for the tot, who spent seven months in hospital. She was on oxygen and unable to leave the hospital ward last Christmas.
Now 17 months old, she will enjoy this festive season at home with her family, who will be 'forever grateful' to Naedean for giving the best Christmas present ever, the gift of life. Mum-of-one Laura, 30, a dance school owner, said: "My husband was first in line to be the donor. But it would not have worked, so we made a public appeal. Naedean was tested and did the questionnaire. "We've been very close since we were at school, she is my best friend, and was bridesmaid at my wedding. She just really wanted to help." Surgeons took 25 percent of the left lobe of Naedean's liver which regenerated after about two months. Naedean, 30, said: "I thought that I would be a match, it was an instinct, but I had to do lots of tests. They did family first, but Liam was not a match. "I had MRI scans, CT scans, they took lots of blood, went through my full medical history, which took three days. Two days after the last test I was told that I was a match. A week later, they did the transplant. But you have to be interviewed and speak to a psychiatrist to ensure you know all the risks, there can be complications for the rest of your life.".
