A brave teen saved by a heart transplant is back at school and loving life again.
“Fit and active” footballer Kayleigh Llewellyn, 13, fell seriously ill with a disease of the heart muscle last October.
She was taken to The Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, and received a new heart 12 months ago today.
Kayleigh, of Seaham, County Durham, now has three lessons a day, three days a week at Seaham High School.
“I am really enjoying just being out of the house,” she said.
“I am gradually getting my fitness back and waiting to play football again.”
She is busy making jewellery to raise money for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF) at the Freeman while helping mum Sonia, 42, and dad Shaun Sidney, 51, prepare gifts for kids awaiting transplants on her old ward .
Kayleigh has also made her donor family an infinity necklace. In a moving letter, she told them: “You saved my life.”
Her family all support Max and Keira’s Law, backed by The Mirror, which makes everyone in England a donor unless they opt out.
"We don't take anything for granted now," said Sonia, who gave up work to care for her daughter.
"We got two lovely letters from Kayleigh's donor family, one to her, the other to me and Shaun. We hope to meet them one day.
"We cannot put into words how we feel. That's why we are raising money for the hospital and CHUF, to give something back."
Shaun, a timber yard worker, added: "We would urge everyone to think about what they want to do with their organs when they die."
Max and Keira's law was named in honour of Max 12, of Winsford, Cheshire, and his heart donor Keira Ball, nine, who died in a car accident near her home in Barnstaple, Devon in 2017.
It is predicted to save hundreds of lives each year.
- organdonation.nhs.uk; advice line on 0300 303 2094; look for every.beat_counts on Instagram for Kayleigh’s jewellery.
