Baby surviving off life support

Theo only has half a heart and has had five operations

A baby given weeks to live unless a heart donor is found has amazed doctors by coming off his life support machine.

Theo Davis, from Keswick, Cumbria, has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means he was born with half a heart.

He has had five operations at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and been given two weeks to live without a new organ.

But now he is breathing on his own giving him more time. Parents Rebecca Giles and Ryan Davis said they were delighted with their son's progress.

Child's life

Mr Davis said: "He has done brilliantly - I don't think anyone expected it - he has amazed the surgeons again. We are delighted."

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

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."

Mr Davis added: "Theo 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."