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GIFT OF LIFE
My baby girl was just 2 weeks from death due to rare disease – before her dad’s last-gap action saved her life
Biliary atresia affects just one in 10,000 babies
A BABY who had just weeks left to live was saved with a liver transplant from her doting dad.
Sophia Barnett was diagnosed with biliary atresia — a disease affecting the bile ducts — seven weeks after she was born.
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By the time dad Peter, 28, was identified as a potential donor her health was failing rapidly.
And as surgeons transplanted a section of his liver they realised they had made it just in time — she had just two weeks left.
Luckily, the operation had been brought forward as mum Sarah, also 28, was pregnant.
She said: “We didn’t know at that stage, but bringing the transplant forward would end up saving her life.
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"It would have been too late.”
Biliary atresia affects just one in 10,000 babies.
Sophia was expected to live for between three and 12 months without a transplant.
Her parents were tested to see if their livers were a match.
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Bricklayer Peter, 28, was found to be a potential donor, but the results also revealed Sarah was pregnant.
Surgeons brought the op forward by three months to July last year to avoid a clash.
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Admin worker Sarah, of Southampton, said: “Sophia had jaundice and it wasn’t getting any better, so she went for tests.
"We never imagined it would be anything so serious.
“We didn’t have much time to look for a donor.
'Doing so well'
"Doctors suggested we were both tested to see if either Peter or I could be the donor.
“And that’s when we got another big shock: I was pregnant.
"We hadn’t even been trying for a baby.
“The doctors said that it would have to be Peter who donated and that the transplant would be brought forward so that I wouldn’t be giving birth at the time.”
Sarah, who was 18 weeks pregnant at the time of transplant, said: “It was nerve-racking seeing them both taken to the operating theatre, but Pete knew he was saving her life.
“It all went really well.
"Afterwards it was lovely to see them reunited.”
Peter came home after five days in hospital and Sophia after two weeks.
In December, Sarah gave birth to baby Florence.
It was nerve-racking seeing them both taken to the operating theatre
Mum Sarah
Doctors confirmed in April this year the op had worked and Sophia is now a thriving 22-month-old.
Sarah added: “Sophia was thrilled to meet her baby sister.
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"She loves helping me out — she’s a real little mother hen with her.”
The Child Liver Disease Foundation said: “We are thrilled that Sophia is doing so well.”
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