THE mother of a brave little Clitheroe girl, who is back at home and doing well after a liver transplant, is determined to campaign for the success of the organ donor register.

Mrs Liz Hesketh can imagine the pain and loss suffered by bereaved families, as she came so close to losing her own daughter Joanne.

But she firmly believes that relatives can find some comfort in the death of a loved one if they know that their death, no matter how futile, can help someone else to live.

She added: "I will be forever grateful to the family who donated my daughter's new liver.

"I know they must have their own heartbreak to live with, but if they could see Joanne I am sure there would be some happiness in their hearts."

Eight-year-old Joanne had suffered with liver problems since she was just a few months old. The failure of her liver to function properly gave the little girl such symptoms as constant itching, growth problems and abdominal pain and eventually her liver would have broken down completely.

She was put on the liver transplant list and just a couple of weeks ago was called urgently to King's College Hospital in London where she underwent a lengthy and complicated transplant operation.

Now she is back at home in Primrose Street, Clitheroe, with her little sisters Vicki, three, and Zoe, 17 months.

Her mum said: "There is already a remarkable change in Joanne and the doctors say they are very pleased with her progress.

"She is very much looking forward to going back to school at St James's.

"But for the moment she has to be kept quite isolated because the anti-rejection drugs she is taking have also broken down her own immune system. "Any visitors to the house who have colds are turned away at the door!"

Mrs Hesketh has her hands full at the moment nursing Joanne and looking after her two other daughters.

But once she has more time on her hands, she hopes to become an active campaigner for the NHS Organ Donor Register programme.

She also wants to raise some funds for the hospital which saved Joanne's life.

She said: "I will never know who the donor was but we have been told it was a child.

"I will never be able to thank the parents who must have been suffering so much when they made the decision - their tragedy meant joy for us and a chance at life for Joanne. "Deciding about organ donation is a very personal thing and I would never criticise anyone for deciding against it.

"I am just grateful for my daughter's sake that this family saw through their own grief the chance to help others."

Joanne undergoes regular medical tests locally and she and her mum will be returning to King's College Hospital next week for her first check up there after the operation.

The next three months will be critical and Joanne will be on some kind of medication for the rest of her life.

But the signs for a full recovery are already there and nobody looks more pleased with life than Joanne herself!

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