My donor family did an incredible thing, says organ donation recipient

He was placed on the urgent liver transplant list 10 years ago and when a donor finally came forward underwent an emergency operation, later spending two months recovering in Birmingham Children's Hospital.

It is thanks to the generosity of 11-year-old Ryan Barrett and his family that Jordan is now a healthy 18-year-old man, who scored straight As in his A-levels and is preparing to study medicine at the University of Liverpool.

And Jordan has also become a big part of Ryan's family, bringing them huge comfort as they continue to grieve for their son.

Ryan's parents agreed to donate their son's organs during what was a time of desperate heartache. He had died suddenly from an unexpected brain aneurysm but the family agreed he would have wanted to save the life of another.

At the time Jordan, who lives in King Charles Way, Bridgnorth, with parents Zoe and Paul, was suffering from Wilson's disease, a rare recessive genetic disorder that causes liver disease.

The degradation of the liver goes on to cause neurological and psychiatric systems, none of which Jordan had previously displayed before he suddenly fell ill.

The transplant was a success and 10 years later Jordan says he will never forget the boy who gave him life.

Both families have become close and Jordan describes now having "donor sisters", joining them in a charity skydive last month to mark the 10th anniversary of Ryan's death, which also marked the start of his own new life as a medical student.

Ryan's mother Fiona, father John, and sisters 18-year-old Kiera and 23-year-old Shannen, regularly visit Jordan's family in Bridgnorth. They are reluctant to speak about Ryan's death, other than to say watching Jordan grow up gives them much comfort.

Jordan, 18, said his experiences had shaped his career path because he wanted to give something back.

He is now preparing to start the next stage of his life after being accepted in to the University of Liverpool.

"Wilson disease is hereditary as both parents have to be carriers, similar to the way cystic fibrosis can be passed on," said Jordan.

"Even then there's only a one in four chance the child will have it and until that happens most people don't know they are carriers.

"When I was most ill, I was in a critical condition and quite close to death. I could only take food and fluids through an IV feed but once I'd had the transplant my initial recovery was very rapid.

"Since the operations I now only have to take a small tablet the size of a pea twice a day, which is nothing.

"I have a blood test every three months and I have check ups at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital once a year but I've been very fortunate as I've had no problems since.

"It's important for me to stay in contact with the donor family because what they did is such an incredible thing.

"It would seem ungrateful if I didn't acknowledge what they had done.

"We keep in regular contact, mainly through the two mums, and occasionally through my Facebook and email."

Ryan was three-years older than Jordan when he died but since then both families have seen Jordan grow into a man, ready to start university.

"We were a similar age when he died so it has been a strange experience surpassing Ryan's age," said Jordan.

"Ryan's aneurysm came completely out of the blue and it is the reason the family raises money for Headway.

"I'm not sure if Ryan was in a condition to consent personally to becoming a donor but his family agreed he was the sort of person who would have said yes because he was such a kind person. There was no doubt at all."

Jordan has also hosted numerous fundraising activities himself over the last 10 years, raising thousands of pounds for Birmingham Children's Hospital and Children's Liver Disease Foundation.

His past has also played a major role in choosing to study medicine and he hopes to eventually work with children.

"I wanted to be a marine biologist up until the age of eight but my experiences in hospital made me change my mind," he said.

"I started to turn towards medicine, especially after seeing what the doctors had done for me.

"It was amazing how quickly I improved and I thought it was something I'd like to be a part of in later life.

"I also like the idea of giving something back because so many people have done such fantastic things for me."

Other than the odd check up Jordan, who attended Bridgnorth Endowed School and King Edwards VI College in Stourbridge for his A-levels, leads a life as normal as the next teenager.

In his spare time he enjoys scuba-diving and playing squash - and cannot wait to get started at University of Liverpool in a few weeks.

"I don't think I've been as excited about anything in my life," he said. "My early indications are I'd like to be a paediatrician working with children but I won't really know until I get there."

Jordan's mother, Zoe, said: "We have regular contact with our donor family. I wrote to them the very next day after the transplant when I was sitting in the hospital garden.

"I just cannot imagine what the family went through and go through on a daily basis.

"Jordan's donor was a young boy, just three years older than himself at the time.

"To mark the 10-year anniversary, Jordan's donor sisters took part in a sky dive in his memory and to raise funds for Headway and MS Society.

"We turned up to support them at the event and there were hugs all round.

"We have some amazing photos and they are such wonderful people.

"Jordan has always remained positive, worked hard and is a kind, caring young man, with a wicked sense of humour."