THE UK’s first surviving heart transplant baby has revealed that she underwent treatment for organ failure last year.

Kaylee Davidson, 23, from Houghton-le-Spring, Washington, Wearside, made medical history in the UK when she had the life-saving surgery as a five-month-old baby.

Her successful transplant at The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, back in October 1987, saved her life and allowed her to enjoy a full and active childhood.

But now Kaylee has gone public with the news that she had to have treatment last year when, after years of fitness, her transplanted heart began to fail.

“I was pushing myself too hard, but I didn’t realise it. I did dance and athletics and had always been really active, but one night I was breathless and had a cough.

“I came home and said I was going to lie down and my dad was worried and took me to hospital the next day. I just thought I would go into hospital and be out in no time, but I had fluid on the lungs which is the first sign of heart failure.”

Kaylee’s left ventricle was only working at 19 per cent and the pressure on right side of her heart to pump harder was stopping her breathing properly.

“The doctors told me if I had done any physical activity that night, I wouldn’t be here today,” she said.

Kaylee was in and out of the Freeman Hospital last year and has now made a good recovery.

Kaylee talked about her health scare at an NHS event to promote greater use of a recently launched online service which helps friends and family keep in touch with loved ones while they are in hospital or housebound.

Justvisiting.com is a social enterprise founded by two North-East men and provides a place online for patients and carers to meet up and talk with their friends and family in hospitals. It provides a social networking site built around a secure interactive message board which creates online visiting rooms for families and friends of patients.

Kaylee said: “I think this website is a great idea especially for young people who are staying in hospital as it can be a lonely time and friends and family can’t always travel to visit regularly.”

The justvisiting.com website is now live and free to use.