Baby girl becomes Britain's youngest organ donor
'She only lived for 74 minutes but she has achieved more than some people do in a lifetime'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A baby girl who died just 74 minutes after birth has become Britain's youngest organ donor, after her kidneys were transplanted into an adult patient.
Thirteen weeks into the pregnancy, Hope Lee’s parents, Emma and Andrew, found out their daughter was suffering from anencephaly, which prevented her brain and skull from developing properly.
Knowing their daughter would not survive, they chose to donate her organs.
Hope was born two minutes before her twin brother Josh at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge last week. Shortly after she died, she underwent surgery to donate her kidneys to an adult.
Cells from Hope's liver were frozen to be used in people waiting for a liver transplant.
Although Mr and Ms Lee, from Newmarket, were given the option to abort their daughter, they decided upon organ donation after hearing the story of Teddy Houlston.
Teddy, who died 100 minutes after birth earlier this year, also suffered from anencephaly and donated his heart valves and kidneys.
Speaking to Cambridge News, Ms Lee said the decision to donate her daughter's organs was "heartbreaking".
"But as we had known for so long we just felt it was right."
She told the Mirror: “Today [Hope] is still living on inside someone else and it helps with the grief, it’s taken some of the pain away.”
Mr Lee told the paper: “She only lived for 74 minutes but she has achieved more than some people do in a lifetime.”
Sally Johnson, NHS Blood and Transplant director, said: "It is exceptionally rare for very young babies to become organ donors. Hope’s parents are rightly very proud of their daughter and the gift she has given.
"We are very grateful to Emma and Andrew for making such a courageous decision and to offer a chance of life to others at a time of personal loss. Hopefully their decision will continue to offer them comfort."
Additional reporting by PA
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments