Cramlington toddler gets 'miracle' heart after two-year transplant wait

Since 2020, little Grace Westwood has been at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle – urgently waiting to find a suitable donor, with her family getting increasingly more worried by the day.

But, earlier this week, she is finally heading home to Cramlington, Northumberland, with her family after having a heart transplant.

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The toddler, who is thought to be one of the longest waiters on the urgent transplant list, has been kept alive over the last two years with a Berlin heart Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) - an air-driven pump which takes over the function of a child’s own heart.

Last May, she became the first patient in the UK to have a mobile Berlin Heart driving unit fitted - meaning she could go to the park for the first time.

Even after the temporary good news, it would still be months before her dad Darren got the call the entire family had been hoping and praying for – a heart had become available for his little girl.

Grace painting in the playroom on the children's heart unit - her home for the last two-years. Picture: NHS

“One of the transplant coordinators said there was a match and I think for the first ten minutes it just didn’t sink in as Grace had been waiting for such a long time,” he said.

“We’ve always tried to stay really positive as a family and taken each day as it comes but when that day finally came it just felt surreal.”

After getting the news, Mr Westwood immediately called Grace’s mum, Becci, who was equally stunned at first.

Grace and family in her room on the children's heart unit at the Freeman Hospital. Picture: NHS

“When Daz rang it just didn’t seem real - I think I was in shock as we’d been waiting so long for the news – it was an extraordinary day and I cried a lot,” she said.

The process of the youngster getting a new heart involved a complex transplant operation at the Freeman Hospital lasting 12 hours.

“It’s hard giving your little girl away to the surgeons, you just have to hope for the best, I remember us walking away and just starting crying,” said Mr Westwood.

“It would be 12 hours until we could see her again but fortunately everything went well.”

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Grace’s new heart completes a remarkable but difficult journey for Darren and Becci, who moved to the North East from Birmingham during the pandemic when Grace was transferred to Newcastle.

Now, Grace is finally getting to go home with her big brother, Josh.

Mr Westwood added: “Grace is like a different child and just to hold her with nothing attached, is just amazing. Just to see her walking without being tethered to a machine is amazing.”

Grace, Josh, Becci and Darren painting in the playroom at the Freeman Hospital. Picture: NHS

As the family prepare to go home, they’re mindful that some of Grace’s friends are still on ward 23 facing that same wait.

“We know other families are in the same position we were – the only advice we can give is to try and stay positive as there are some incredible people out there. Anything we can do to raise awareness of organ donation is so important, said Darren.

For Becci, there are also mixed emotions about leaving her ‘second family’

“The staff and the hospital have been amazing – we’re so happy to be going home but slightly nervous too. I’ve lived here for over two years and have been coming onto this ward every day for over two years – it’s emotional to be leaving.

“We are so thankful to all the staff at the Freeman who have gone above and beyond for us.”

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