Woman pregnant years after life-saving transplant

A woman who received a double organ transplant as a child says becoming pregnant would not have been possible without the family of her donor.

Keeleigh John, from Bridgwater in Somerset, was diagnosed with chronic renal failure and underwent life-saving surgery to receive a new liver and kidneys when she was 12 years old.

Keeleigh, now 28, said doctors had told her family it was unlikely she would ever have children.

After recovering from four bouts of sepsis this year, she discovered she was pregnant on the day she returned home from hospital. Keeleigh said she "owes it all" to the donor family who made a decision at probably "the most difficult time in their life".

"We're at the 14-week point now. Baby looks healthy, I'm doing really well," she said.

"They've done all the tests and they've said it's almost impossible for any sort of condition that I have to transfer over to baby."

Keeleigh's mother, Tracy John, said doctors had warned the family that her daughter was unlikely to have children.

"Me and my husband were told years ago we'd be lucky to see her survive to eight, and then it was to 12.

"Then she received a transplant and now she's flying all over the world and having her own children. It's just something we never dreamed of."

Keeleigh now campaigns for organ donation and has competed in the British Transplant Games and international events, winning gold medals in events including shot put, archery and discus.

She is due to find out this week whether she has been selected for the 2027 World Transplant Games in Belgium.

"I'm hoping I'll be on that plane to Belgium next year, hopefully with a tiny little baby."

She said she hoped her achievements would make both her family and her donor's family proud.

Keeleigh actively advocates for the NHS Organ Donor Register, saying: "If you are prepared to accept an organ, you should be prepared to donate one."

Recently, the NHS launched its first "urgent response plan" to address the drop in the number of organs being donated.

NHS Blood and Transplant figures show deceased donation rates are 9% lower than at the same point last year, while the UK transplant waiting list has reached a record high.

Keeleigh said the life she has now, including her pregnancy, was only possible because her donor's family agreed to donation at a difficult time.

"Not only would my life not have been possible, but also now I'm creating a life which also wouldn't have been possible. We never thought it would be possible."

Her mother said the family remained grateful to the donor.

"Without the donor family, for one, I wouldn't have my baby here, and she wouldn't have had the chance to have her own baby," she said.

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