A Shropshire mum who feared she would lose her son after he was diagnosed with an incurable liver disease is urging people to support a charity close to her heart.Joanne Underwood from St Martins, Oswestry said her world fell apart when one of her twin son’s Dylan was diagnosed with the incurable condition, describing it as “every mother’s nightmare.”
But five years after his life-saving liver transplant she will be celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday with her five-year-old twins Dylan and Spencer.
Miss Underwood is sharing her story to help raise awareness of the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF), a unique organisation dedicated to fighting childhood liver disease.
CLDF provided vital support when Dylan became critically ill as a baby.
At three weeks old Dylan remained jaundiced and was referred to the specialist paediatric liver unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
He was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a life threatening condition in which the bile ducts become progressively blocked leading to irreversible liver damage.
A corrective operation failed and the family were told that Dylan would need a liver transplant to survive.
He was placed on the transplant waiting list and a donor organ became available a month later.
Dylan has since made a good recovery and recently underwent his five year post-transplant “MOT”.
He continues to suffer a number of un-associated medical conditions but enjoys attending Ifton Heath Primary School with Spencer.
Miss Underwood said: “I know how lucky I am to be spending Mother’s Day with both of my boys.
“CLDF gave me a lifeline when Dylan was diagnosed and I know I can call upon CLDF’s services whenever I may need them in the future. The charity also funds important research into the causes of liver disease but it desperately needs money to continue this work.”
Catherine Arkley, chief executive of CLDF added: “A diagnosis of liver disease is devastating for a family but CLDF’s support, education and research programmes give enormous hope. However these can only continue with public support. People can make a difference to thousands of families and every penny really does help.”
For further information visit www.childliverdisease.org or call (0121) 2123839.
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