James beats odds with gift of life; FAMILY: Parents campaign for charity as donor op boy reaches third birthday.Byline: Alison Dayani AS ENERGETIC James Jenkins cheerily paddles out of the sea it is hard to believe the youngster was once so desperately ill that his life hung in the balance. But he is only able to laugh, run and play thanks to the dedication of Birmingham surgeons who saved his life with a liver transplant liver transplant Hepatic transplant Transplant surgery A procedure that replaces a cancer conquered, metabolically defeated, or substance subjugated liver with one no longer required by its owner, many of whom donate same after an MVA Diseases requiring transplant . Now James has just celebrated the third birthday his parents Maria and Rob Jenkins thought he would never see before Birmingham Children's Hospital Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust manage the central Birmingham hospital now also known as The Diana, Princess of Wales Children's Hospital, which provides general and emergency health care services to children in Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond. doctors stepped in. Birmingham-born Maria said: "We were devastated when James was diagnosed as a baby with biliary atresia Biliary Atresia Definition Biliary atresia is the failure of a fetus to develop an adequate pathway for bile to drain from the liver to the intestine. , a rare and potentially life-threatening liver disease, which leads to irreversible liver damage. "From that point on life became a rollercoaster. His only chance of survival would be a liver transplant. "James was put on the transplant waiting list and a donor liver became available one month prior to his first birthday. "It was terrifying handing our baby to the surgeons, but at the same time I was so grateful for the generosity of the donor and their family who gave our son the gift of life." Throughout the ordeal, the Jenkins family, from Worcestershire, were supported by Birmingham charity, Children's Liver Disease Foundation Children's Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) is an UK charity dedicated to fighting childhood liver disease. CLDF was founded in 1980 by the parents of a little boy named Michael McGough, who died before be could receive a liver transplant. . They are now trying to highlight the work of the charity, which funds research into liver diseases and offers parents a lifeline of support. Dad Rob added: "After the transplant James really bounced back and was home within a couple of weeks. He is now a very happy and healthy little boy and lives life to the full. "He loves learning and playing and it's great to see his personality developing so quickly. "More children are diagnosed with a liver disease than childhood leukaemia." For further information on *the charity, visit www.childliverdisease.org or call 0121 212 3839. All smiles: James celebrating the birthday his parents thought he might never see. CAPTION(S): Against the odds: James on holiday. |
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