A schoolgirl given a new heart has written an emotional letter to her donor family - to thank them for 'keeping me alive'.
Kayleigh Llewellyn, 12, is back home after 102 days in hospital.
After being diagnosed with an enlarged heart, she had to undergo gruelling hours surgery to fit an LVAD, a left ventricular assisted device.
An Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation machine (ECMO) was then needed to pump and oxygenate blood outside her body and help her breathing.
Finally, she was kept in a coma for a week after a donor organ was found.
It deteriorated en route to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, before a second one saved her life.
Worried mum Sonia, 41, 'cried every day' in the 10 weeks before the op - featured on our front page - was carried out just in time for Christmas.
Kayleigh's first thought on coming home was for the 'selfless, brave' family who agreed to organ donation.
The keen footballer, of Seaham, Co Durham said: "I feel much better now. I have come home so much stronger.
"I knew what I wanted to say in the letter - I just wanted to thank them so much.
"I hope that we can meet one day."
She paid tribute to the Mirror 'Change the Law for Life' crusade, which she believes helped to save her life.
Dad Shaun Sidney, 50, has pledged to help other parents who find themselves waiting for a donor, while raising money for the 'fantastic' NHS.
"Without the donors, my daughter would not be sitting here now," he said. "Thank you is never enough, we cannot find the words."
Former child minder Sonia, who has given up work to care for Kayleigh at home, paid tribute to Max and Keira's Law.
Named in honour of Mirror poster boy Max Johnson, 12, and his donor Keira Ball, nine, who lost her life in a car accident near her home in Barnstaple, Devon in 2017, it comes into force in Spring this year.
Everyone in England will be considered to want to be a donor when they die unless they opt out, and Sonia said: "It really does matter.
"We want people to think 'I will do that'." Kayleigh intends to promote the new law, and help others.
"Me and a friend are dressing as Easter bunnies to take eggs to children at the Freeman," she said with a smile.
She starts a phased return to GCSE studies at Seaham High School soon, intends to be playing football again this summer - and will look after her new heart as a mark of her eternal gratitude to the donor.
"When it came to leaving the hospital, I really wanted to go home but I was scared," she said, with her cat Chinny and 'crazy' Springer Spaniel Maisey keeping her company at home."Now I really want to get back to playing football again. I feel like I did before I fell ill."
The Make a Wish Foundation will take her to London to meet Sidemen, YouTubers who specialise in footy videos, and her team NSG Panthers are set to take on Freeman staff in a charity match.
A keen Sunderland fan, she met stars from old foes Newcastle United in hospital, with striker Andy Carroll taking time out to chat about her love of football.
Sonia added: "We will keep on raising awareness of organ donation. We know it has saved our daughter's life, and cannot express how grateful we are to the donor family."
NHS Blood and Transplant said it was 'wonderful' to hear of Kayleigh's recovery, and her plans now she is back home.
"Like Kayleigh, we are so grateful to each and every donor and their family, who make the decision to support organ donation and give their recipients this most precious gift," said a spokesperson.
"We encourage everyone to talk with your family and friends about organ donation today and make sure you know what your loved ones want.”
Click here for more information or call the advice line on 0300 303 2094.
