Hope for Ieva after mother gives part of liver

HOPES have risen that a baby girl who received a liver graft from her mother this week will see her first birthday.

Nine-month-old Ieva Zukaskaute from Rahoon, Co Galway, and her mother, Kristina, underwent the complex procedure on Tuesday at King’s College Hospital in London.

Ieva was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare disease that affects newborns, when she was six weeks old and has already undergone two unsuccessful operations to correct her condition.

Her godmother, Audrey Cassidy, said she was delighted when Ieva’s father, Andrew, called to say that mother and baby had survived the day-long procedure and doctors were happy that everything had gone well.

“He was crying with happiness on the telephone and kept on saying, ‘It’s over, it’s over.’ I was nearly crying too because I was so relieved,” she said.

Ms Cassidy said the next few days would be critical for Ieva, with doctors monitoring her closely to ensure her body had accepted the transplant.

Kristina donated part of her liver to Ieva because she has a rare blood group that greatly reduces her chances of getting a matched, unrelated, donor transplantation.

The child’s parents, originally from Lithuania, have lived in Galway for the past eight years, where Kristina works with Ms Cassidy’s mother, Louise Blade, at the Sewing Studio.

Ms Blade said staff at the shop had found it hard to concentrate on their work over the past few days because of the number of people calling in to ask about Kristina and her baby.

“We are so delighted that everything has gone well. We have taken Kristina and her family to our hearts. Kristina is as close to me as a daughter because I have known her so long,” said Ms Blade.

It is expected that Kristina and Ieva will remain in hospital for a number of weeks.

The family has been relying on the generosity of the people of Galway to help with travel, accommodation and other costs.

There is an account opened by the Baby Ieva Fund at AIB Lynch’s Castle in Galway.

The account number is 33233063 and the branch number is 93 70 69.