North East

Since 1988 the surgeons' world class expertise has allowed them to treat thousands of children from across the north of England.

The Freeman Hospital is one of two centres in the country carrying out heart transplants in children - the other being Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

The staff have to cope, not only with the complex surgery, but also with managing patient care after the operation to make sure the donated hearts are not rejected.

Nell: making a good recovery

Nell

For three-year-old Nell that’s been a particularly difficult task.

The drugs given to suppress her immune system and reduce the risk of her rejecting her new heart meant she developed cancer cells.  

Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist, Dr C Richard Kirk, says situations like this leave staff facing difficult dilemmas about treatment.

Nell is making a good recovery – but the unit must deal with less positive outcomes too.

Paul

Fifteen-year-old Paul was fitted with an artificial heart to try to allow his own heart to recover after he contracted a virus.  

Dr C Richard Kirk

Despite intensive treatment he died.  

Even after so many patients, there is a genuine sense of loss for the staff

For staff the real frustration is that so  many children cannot be helped as finding donor hearts is so difficult.

Presumed consent

Recently the government decided not to press ahead immediately with plans for organs to be offered routinely, from those who die, unless they have expressly asked otherwise.

It’s a process known as presumed consent - which the heart unit staff say would help.  

But so too would more information and better training for staff who have to ask the difficult question of relatives at such a painful time.  

Donor cards

Carrying a donor card – and having conversations within your family about what you would wish should you be able to become a donor are things the hospital asks people to actively consider.   

Without the organs the last 21 years of help for countless children would not have happened.