Birmingham Children's Hospital liver unit 21 years old

Birmingham Children's Hospital's groundbreaking Liver Unit is celebrating its 21st birthday.

Since it opened in 1989 with just one doctor and one nurse, survival of child liver operations has increased from 30% to 90%.

The first patient to receive a transplant was Shabana Burhani, 21, from Aston, Birmingham who was operated on when she was six months old.

She said: "It's all I have known since I was a child. I am too grateful."

'Wonderful testament'

The unit was officially opened by TV presenter Anneka Rice and had a budget of £250,000.

It now has 75 staff and an annual budget of £7m.

Programme mastermind Dr Deirdre Kelly said: "Twenty one years is always a landmark.

"I think the fact that nine hundred children and parents are coming to celebrate our twenty one years, that is just a wonderful testament to the motivation and dedication of the team."