Devon transplant survivor honoured for raising awareness

Lottie Bryon-Edmond, now 11, has fundraised for a memorial for organ donors

A girl who had a liver transplant as a baby has been made an honorary director of an NHS trust.

Lottie Bryon-Edmond was chosen by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust for her commitment to raising awareness of organ donation.

She was the UK's youngest liver transplant survivor when she had the operation at just five weeks old.

Lottie, from Torquay, is now 11 and has fundraised for a memorial for organ donors at the hospital.

In 2012, Lottie was chosen by Torbay Hospital as its campaign poster girl.

She needed an urgent transplant after she was diagnosed with neonatal haemochromatosis - a rare condition in which iron accumulates in the body, causing severe damage to the liver and other organs.

Doctors warned she could have died at any time before the procedure and she was top of the UK's urgent transplant list for 14 days.

Lottie has been recognised for her efforts in raising awareness of organ donation

On being made honorary director of the hospital trust, Lottie said: "When I was little I had a very severe liver disease, and I was trying my best to survive.

"All these wonderful doctors took care of me and when it came to the point I had to have it, my parents were praying for me to survive and I did, and right now I decided to help for a memorial at Torquay Hospital."

Dr Nikki Freeman, clinical lead in organ donation at Torbay Hospital, said Lottie was "a little girl who has been through so much".

Dr Freeman said: "Her work today is about thinking of the families who have been touched by organ donation, and remembering the people, and celebrating the lives of those who have donated their organs in order to save others.

"She's a remarkable little girl."

Lottie hopes to raise £10,000 for the memorial for organ donors

Julie Bryon-Edmond, Lottie's mum, said: "I think it's really important there's lots of conversations about people who receive transplants.

"There's not, in my opinion, as many conversations [as there are] about people who have donated, so I think that's really, really important.

"That's not to say that people who have received transplants aren't grateful, but it's just a really excellent way for them to express their gratitude... and for the families, I'm sure it's going to be a truly comforting thing for them."

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