Sick girl's parents in donors appeal

Every parent in the Midlands has been urged to put their children on the organ donor list after an emotional appeal from the family of a desperately ill Cannock toddler.

Bethany Dawson was born with a rare condition known as gastroschisis, where her bowels were on the outside of her body. The condition affects only one in 5,000 babies born The brave youngster has endured 12 operations in 12 months after being born in June 2007. She is now in desperate need of a liver and bowel transplant in order to keep her alive.

Doctors have warned that without a transplant she could die within three to 12 months.

Her parents Tim Dawson, aged 28, and Nicky Summer, 21, know that for Bethany to live, another child who is an organ donor must die, which they have been forced to admit is unlikely.

Faced with the prospect of losing their daughter they have now spoken publicly of Bethany's plight from her bedside at Stafford Hospital in the hope of getting more adults and crucially, more children, on the organ donor list.

The couple, of Whinyates Rise, Cannock, want to raise awareness of the fact there is a severe shortage of organs available for transplant with child donors being particularly rare.

Mum Nicky told the Express & Star: "People don't think about putting their child on the organ donor list and that is what we are asking people to do.

"Just take one minute to think, if their child was in Bethany's situation, would they want people to be donors. It is so easy to do, it takes a few minutes on the transplant authority website, but it could save a child like Bethany."

Bethany has been in and out of hospital since being born and has to spend 12 hours a day on a drip.

She also needs regular blood transfusions and her parents have also appealed for people to consider giving blood.

Anyone interested in becoming an organ donor can register at www.uk transplant.org.uk or call 0845 606040.

Blood donors can visit www.blood.co.uk or call 08457 711711.