Doctor backs heart donor appeal

The cardiologist of a baby boy given just weeks to live has backed an appeal to help find a heart donor.

Theo Davis has a condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means he was born with half a heart.

The one-year-old from Keswick has undergone five operations and is on a life support machine at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital.

Dr Richard Kirk, a consultant paediatric cardiologist, urged people to consider becoming donors.

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A fresh appeal for baby Theo

He said: "No-one can ever know if they are going to be in a situation where their child's life is threatened.

"They could even be asked to consider letting their child be a donor. We would urge people to think about that and those kind of issues well ahead of time. This would be very helpful."

Theo's parents Rebecca Giles and Ryan Davis said he was a "fighter".

But following an operation last week, his condition has deteriorated so badly that a donor must be found immediately.

Mr Davis said: "He has had to fight all his life - he was born with only half a heart so one side has had to fight for the other side and he has surprised all the doctors.

"He has had five major operations and has fought so hard that his heart has just given up."