Lola Plimmer, who once stood on the brink of tragedy, is today celebrating life as a thriving five-year-old. Three and a half years after undergoing a life-saving heart transplant at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, the youngster’s remarkable recovery has inspired her mother, Ella Watt, to launch a renewed campaign for organ donor awareness.
Lola’s journey to health began with a harrowing medical emergency. What started as a common cold rapidly deteriorated into heart failure, leaving the toddler hours from death. In a pioneering medical feat, Lola was transported to the Freeman Hospital via air ambulance while kept alive by an Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine—the first time such a device had been used on that type of flight.
While her parents, Ella and Rob, were initially told to prepare for a waiting period of up to 18 months for a suitable donor heart, the family received the life-changing news that a match had been found in just a few months.
“Every day that she gets to go to school is a blessing,” said Ella, reflecting on her daughter’s milestone. “Every birthday is amazing, given we thought she wouldn’t see two. Now she’s five and gets to do so much stuff you’d never have imagined.”
Beyond her recovery, the family remains deeply appreciative of the support network that sustained them during their months of uncertainty. Ella pointed specifically to the role of Scott House, run by The Sick Children’s Trust, which provided the family with accommodation just minutes from the hospital. “If I had had to think about finding somewhere to live or travelling to and fro… you only realise how lucky you are when you look back,” she added. “To think that’s something I could have had to deal with alongside potentially losing my child… it was just so lovely to know that someone had taken control of that for me.”
Now, with Lola preparing to attend the British Heart Foundation’s Heart Hero awards in London this week, Ella is using her daughter’s story to advocate for the necessity of organ donation. Highlighting the recent NHS data regarding a shortfall in donors, she is urging the public to engage in the difficult but vital conversation with their families.
“Every year when we get to organ donation week, I always share as much as I can about it,” Ella said. “If you want to donate organs, you need to make sure that your family are aware. You need to have that conversation before anything happens. It is so important and is a subject very close to my heart.”
For further information on organ donation, or to confirm your registration, visit organdonation.nhs.uk or use the NHS app.
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