Just look at her now! Courageous youngster given gift of life with heart transplant celebrates 13th birthday six months on from surgery

Kayleigh Llewellyn was diagnosed with a type of heart disease called cardiomyopathy late last year after suddenly becoming unwell and struggling to breathe.

Suffering from chest pains, Kayleigh, from Earl Street in Seaham, was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital where her heart rate was found to be too high and she was transferred to the Freeman Hospital’s Children’s Heart Unit in Newcastle.

Doctors diagnosed her with heart disease and said she needed to undergo a heart transplant.

After four weeks under intensive care, Kayleigh was placed onto the urgent transplant list for a new heart in November.

Parents Shaun Sidney and Sonia Llewellyn prayed for a miracle and their prayers were answered when Kayleigh was able to undergo the transplant just before Christmas last year.

Th transplant was a success, and after a period in hospital, Kayleigh was finally able to return home with her family, where she has been going from strength to strength on her road to recovery.

Sunday, May 24, marked six months since Kayleigh underwent the life-saving transplant – a milestone that came just days before her 13th birthday on June 2.

Dad Shaun said: “Kayleigh has hit her first major milestone – six months post-transplant and keeps amazing the team at the Freeman Hospital with her progress.

“She will never get away from the fact that she has to take medication for the rest of her life, but has adapted well with including it into her daily routine.

“In under six months our amazing lady has gone from being on a life support machine and undergoing a heart transplant, to coming back to being near top form.

“She has no issues or concerns and all vital signs are fantastic, with further medication now being reduced.

“We cannot thank the amazing NHS staff at the Freeman Hospital for all their support and love and to get Kayleigh back to where she should be.”

The Seaham High School pupil has also found support from Kaylee-Ann Olley Davidson – the UK’s first successful heart transplant baby – and Max Johnson – the boy that changed organ donation to become an opt-out system – after making contact with the pair through social media.

Now the teenager – is looking forward to getting back to doing the things she loves, including playing football once again with team NSG Panthers in Washington – with Kayleigh even planning a charity match in aid of the Children’s Heart Unit (CHUF) at the Freeman Hospital.

And her fundraising doesn’t stop there, with Kayleigh raising £250 to help support CHUF families in an effort to thank those who cared for her.

The family even plan on taking Kayleigh on a trip of a lifetime to New York in December.

Dad Shaun added: “Kayleigh’s 13th birthday is a day we thought we would never see, and a day we will enjoy thoroughly, even in lockdown, while she is shielding due to Covid-19.”

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