Heart found for transplant baby

A baby who was given only months to live unless she received a new heart has undergone a transplant.

Fourteen-month-old Gabrysia Filarowski, from Leeds, had Double Inlet Right Ventricle, a very rare heart defect.

She had been waiting for a transplant since October and in May was put at the top of Britain's transplant list.

Gabrysia was taken to Newcastle's Freeman Hospital after a heart was found on Thursday night. The hospital said she was doing well after surgery.

Dr Richard Kirk, a consultant at the hospital, said: "She's fast asleep of course, because we don't want her to have any pain at the moment.

"But her new heart's functioning well and she's doing all that we'd expect at the moment.

"Our challenge now is to keep [the heart] working well for the months and years ahead."

In May, Gabrysia's mother Angela Filarowski told BBC News: "Since Gabrysia was born it's been the most amazing time but always completely consumed by the stress of her condition, constantly watching to make sure we're alright, it just has been never ending."

The family have been travelling about 100 miles from Leeds to Newcastle for Gabrysia's weekly blood tests.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
How to become a donor
Heart babies
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