Inspirational Girl Brought Back To life 6 Times Has Heart Transplant After Doctors Told Mum She Would Die

A desperately ill little girl who was brought back to life six times has received the gift she has been waiting for - a new heart.

Amelia Marran is recovering in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital after undergoing the transplant, without which she would have died.

Sitting by her hospital bedside, the four-year-old’s mum Lisa Armstrong described her helpless anguish when told her daughter had gone into cardiac arrest time and time again - and the joy at finding out a new heart had been found.

Lisa, 37, said: “The doctors told me there was nothing else they could do for her. That she would die.

“When they said a heart had been found it was surreal; incredible; it changed everything.”

Amelia was born at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary on August 21, 2011, reports the Chronicle.

But it was another five months before doctors diagnosed several heart conditions, including pulmonary hypertension and hypoplastic left heart syndrome, affecting normal blood flow through the heart.

Tests were carried out and Amelia and her family, of Prudhoe, were sent to the Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman.

There, medics told Lisa they were not sure if they could help her daughter.

Three heart operations were scheduled, with the first taking place on September 29, 2011.

“Things seemed fine for about a week,” said Lisa. “But them she started quickly deteriorating.”

By January 2012, medics feared there was nothing more they could do and recommended palliative - or end of life - care for Amelia.

Lisa, who also has a son Jack, 17, said: “When someone tells you that about your own child, you struggle to believe it. Even though they said there was no hope, you can’t accept that.”

A decision to take Amelia off a type of medication proved critical and, over the next few weeks, she began to progress and show signs of recovery.

To the delight of the family, doctors were so pleased with her improvement they eventually allowed her to return home.

For three years, Amelia seemed fine. But when she returned to hospital for her next heart operation, on July 7 last year, things took a dramatic turn.

“After 20 minutes she went into cardiac arrest on the operating table,” said Lisa. “They took her straight to the paediatric intensive care unit where she was ventilated and left in an incredibly fragile state.

“By the Friday they decided to take the breathing tube out and she arrested again.”

Another cardiac arrest followed the following week but, each time, medics managed to bring Amelia back to life, leaving them stunned by her determination to live.

Lisa said: “After that, the doctors said she would need to be put on the urgent transplant list. Her heart was too weak to survive much longer and there was no other choice.

“I told Amelia what was happening, I said ‘your heart’s poorly and you need a new one’. She was just amazing and accepted everything.”

On August 21 this year, as the family waited for news of a new heart, Amelia went into cardiac arrest another three times.

“I got a call about 3.30am telling me what had happened,” Lisa said.

“By the time I got to the ward, they were still working on her," she continued.

“The doctors were incredible, they were trying everything they could.

"But we all knew they wouldn’t be able to keep resuscitating her they way they had been. Every effort was being made just to stabilise her.”

Then, on August 23, the news that family had been waiting for came - a heart had been found.

The transplant followed immediately and Amelia is now recovering at the hospital.

Lisa, who is separated from Amelia’s dad, Philip, added: “For the first time in her life, she is actually pink in colour, as opposed to blue.

"She’s happy, putting on weight and more determined than ever.

“We know none of this would have been possible had it not been for that donor signing the Organ Donor Register. We are forever grateful for the chance they have given our daughter.”