After historic transplant, cystic fibrosis patient Leigh took joy in simple walk

Leigh Bagnall was delighted when she was able to walk into town and go shopping. It was the first thing she did after recovering from her historic lung transplant operation.

The 20-year-old student, who has cystic fibrosis, had no energy and was on oxygen around the clock before her groundbreaking operation in recent months at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

Her donor lungs were reconditioned before being successfully transplanted to improve the quality of the organ — a process that also allows previously unsuitable organs to be made safe for transplant.