Doctors had no idea if he was a match until they opened him up
Rory Griffiths with Harriet after the operation
A dad donated a fifth of his liver to save the life of his 22-month-old daughter – despite not knowing if he was a match. Rory Griffiths, 34, said he didn’t hesitate in sharing a fifth of his organ when little Harriet was told she was in urgent need of a transplant.
The dad-of-one underwent the procedure at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital to remove part of his liver around the size of a Coke can. It was only at the point surgeons opened him up on the operating table that they could confirm he was a suitable donor.
At the same time, the toddler was in the operating theatre just two miles away at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Rory’s organ was rushed over from one hospital to the other where surgeons then spent six hours carrying out the delicate procedure.
Rory, a pig farmer from Whitchurch, Shropshire., said: “When I found out there was a possibility I could donate part of my liver, I didn’t hesitate. “They took a portion of my liver which I describe as almost the same weight and size of a Coke can – 311grams.”
Both surgeries were a success and four days later father and daughter were reunited when Rory visited Harriet in hospital. Rory added: “I’d normalised the fact that ‘doesn’t every dad donate part of their organ to their child?’
“When I got there and saw her, I was so glad to see her. She was daddy’s girl anyway, but now I feel I have an even stronger bond with her. I didn’t know about live liver donation, but I would say to anyone, if you’re able to, do it.
“I came out of hospital after six days and I felt quite good and at roughly 12 weeks, my liver had fully regenerated. If I could do it again for another person to save their life, I would.
“When I see her running about it’s brilliant because it feels that problem is behind us now. I feel lucky that she had this option straight away to have part of my liver.”
Mum Emily, 31, said: “Even though Rory had undergone all the tests, they didn’t know for sure that the transplant could take place until they had opened him up and checked his liver. At that point the surgeons called their counterparts operating on Harriet to give them the go ahead.
“It was at that moment I shed a tear of relief – that Harriet was going to get the liver transplant she so badly needed.”
Emily said they first discovered something was wrong with Harriet when she developed jaundice and had poor weight gain. She said: “Following tests in hospital, she was seen at the children’s by specialists and diagnosed at eight weeks old with Alpha 1 Anti-Trypsin Deficiency, a genetic condition.
“She was treated with medication and a specialised infant formula which was going well, but when she was about 12 months old, we were told she needed a transplant – sadly she had developed chronic liver disease. Whilst discussing the deceased donor process with the medics, we were told about the live liver transplant programme at the QEHB and BCH and we both didn’t hesitate in putting ourselves forward.
“Rory was a match and the decision was made for us about who it would be.”
Surgeon Hector Vilca-Melendez said: “I’m very pleased that we have been able to re-establish the living donor liver transplant programme at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, providing another life-saving transplant option for our patients. This achievement was only possible through the close collaboration with the adult liver transplant centre at the QEHB, where the donor operation was performed, and through the dedication and expertise of the multidisciplinary transplant team at BCH.
“We are now looking forward to seeing Harriet grow up and enjoy as normal a childhood as possible, thanks to the extraordinary gift of part of her father’s liver.”
