An eight-week-old baby successfully underwent a heart transplant just in time for Christmas.
Newcastle born Charlie Douthwaite was born in October with half a heart.
Soon after, a social media appeal in the form of the hashtag #ANewHeartForCharlie was launched across Europe to try and find the baby a matching donor.
He was the youngest person on the UK transplant list.
An appeal has been launched to find #ANewHeartForCharlie – the youngest person on the UK's organ waiting list
More: https://t.co/uSkUyDmLu5 pic.twitter.com/rJ2NjB2pDY
— ITV News (@itvnews) November 14, 2017
Once a suitable donor was found, baby Charlie underwent the nine-hour operation.
It was a success.
Charlie’s mum, Tracie Wright, expressed her thanks to the donor family on A Heart For Charlie’s Facebook page, saying that they had given her baby a second chance at life.
“It hasn’t quite sunk in that out there somewhere an amazing family gave us that amazing priceless most precious gift that could ever be given.
“In their darkest time they still thought of someone else. They’re such special people.”
The eight-week-old underwent his first open heart surgery when he was just three days old.
