‘I wanted to do all I could to save my child’s life’

A BABY girl now recovering well after receiving a section of her mother’s liver two months ago was not expected to see her first birthday without the life-saving transplant.

Eleven-month-old Ieva Zukaskaute from Rahoon, Co Galway, and her mother, Kristina, underwent the complex procedure on September 13 at King’s College Hospital in London.

Ieva had been diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare disease that affects newborns, when she was six-weeks-old.

Two previous operations to correct Ieva’s condition were unsuccessful and the baby had become quite ill just before undergoing the transplant procedure.

Kristina donated part of her liver to Ieva because the baby’s rare blood group greatly reduced 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. They also have an 11-year-old daughter, Laura.

The couple have received great support from Ieva’s godmother, Audrey Cassidy, and Ms Cassidy’s mother, Louise Blade, who run the Sewing Studio in Galway, where Kristina works.

“Kristina called to the shop the other day with Ieva and she looked so much better. Ieva was smiling and grabbing our hands. We found it so hard to let her go when the visit was over,” said Ms Cassidy.

Kristina said doctors were really happy with Ieva’s progress since the operation and expected her to make a full recovery.

Ieva’s blood is tested every week at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin but the need for such tests are expected to reduce over time.

Kristina said the she had made a complete recovery after undergoing surgery to remove part of her liver for Ieva.

“I was just so relieved when they told me I was a suitable donor. Like any mother I wanted to do all I could to save my child’s life,” she said.

“Ieva is a different baby now and we are so looking forward to celebrating her first birthday at home in Galway, something we hardly dreamed of until now.”

Kristina said that Ieva was a very happy baby, despite being so ill for so long. “She loves music and I know she will like to dance almost as soon as she can walk.”

Both Kristina and her husband, Andrew, were overwhelmed by the support they received from the people of Galway who helped pay for travel, accommodation and other costs.

Kristina said: “I did not expect that so many people would help us and want to thank them all for helping us save our baby.”