A young mother and father are devastated and heartbroken following the tragic death of their baby girl. Hannah Muskett and Lewis Brittain didn’t know they were having a baby until Ava-Louise was born in a hospital toilet.
Although the couple were completely shocked at the arrival of their daughter they were said to have been absolutely besotted by her from the minute she was born in September 2021. Shortly after she was born doctors Ava-Louise with a very rare genetic condition called Alagille Syndrome, which meant she would a liver transplant, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Both Hannah and Lewis were a match and volunteered to be a donor, but it was mum who took the incredible decision to give a part of her liver to Ava. The surgery was initially a success and Ava’s body accepted the new liver, but sometime afterwards she went into kidney failure and developed sepsis. She tragically died a few days later on June 1.
Her family have paid tribute to their ‘miracle’ baby girl, who they described as the “happiest, smiliest and sassiest” baby in spite of her condition and everything she’d been battling. Her aunties, Sammie, Chloe and Becky, have since launched a gofundme page to help raise money to be able to buy a permanent memorial for Ava. Any extra money will be donated to Allagile Syndrome Alliance. You can donate to the family’s fundraiser here.
Samantha said: “We are all broken and are supporting each other and being there for Hannah and Lewis – especially for Hannah because she now has the scar from the transplant as a reminder. Hannah didn’t know she was pregnant. She thought it was her appendix and ended up giving birth to Ava in the toilet at A&E.
“She was immediately placed in an incubator and doctors did tests on her which is when they found out she had a condition called Allagiles Syndrome which affects the liver.” Ava was able to come home for a week over Christmas and spend time with the family before being admitted to Leeds Children’s Hospital on December 29 for a transplant.
Hannah donated a part of her liver for the transplant, which took place on May 26. The surgery went okay and Ava’s body appeared to accept the new organ. But there were complications after and Ava developed kidney failure and sepsis,” Samantha said. “She died on June 1 at 2am. Her mum and dad were there, both sets of grandparents and me and my sister followed and said goodbye.
“Her mum and dad are only 21. They spent both their 21st birthdays in hospital with Ava. They lived in a hotel in Leeds whilst she was at Leeds Children’ Hospital. Hannah and Lewis were in real shock when Ava was born but from the moment they met her they were over the moon. They have been by her side every day.
“We started the fundraiser so that we could do something with Ava’s ashes and look to get a permanent memorial like a bench for her. She was loved dearly by all her family and both families are broken, life will never be the same without her infectious smile and beautiful face.”
Both families are also planning to take part in a three-peak challenge across the country this September to raise money for the Allagile Syndrome Alliance.