Help Us Add Some Sparkle To Our Hospital This Christmas

Our frontline heroes work their magic every single day, but it’s up to us to add the sparkle.

This festive season, your support will help patients like one-year-old Ellie, who was given the most magical gift of all last Christmas; a life-saving liver transplant.

Ellie was born in Belfast in February 2020. Midwives immediately noticed her tummy was very swollen and she was quickly transferred to the intensive care unit at her local children’s hospital, where investigations discovered she had a perforated bowel.

That night, Ellie went into surgery to have half of her bowel removed.

After three long months in hospital, her parents, Ashleigh and David, hoped they’d soon be able to bring their baby home.

Sadly, Ellie had become increasingly jaundiced. The family were flown to our hospital via air ambulance where Ellie was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, a rare and life-threatening liver disease.

Procedures to try and support Ellie’s liver function failed and the family were told Ellie needed a life-saving liver transplant.

Mum Ashleigh said, “As Ellie was so small, we were told she needed to put on weight before she could receive the transplant. But thankfully in October last year, we were finally placed on the transplant list. Just eight weeks later, on December 22, we received the magical call to say our little girl was getting her transplant. It was the greatest gift we’ve ever received.” The transplant was a huge success and Ellie has gone from strength to strength. Ashleigh added: “We will be forever thankful to the hospital, the donor and his family for giving our baby a second chance at life.”

Support patients like Ellie and our fantastic staff this festive season by donating today.