Gathered around the TV, a Seaham family relived the moment their daughter received a life-saving heart transplant.
Kayleigh Llewellyn owes her life to organ donation after undergoing the transplant at the Children’s Heart Unit (CHUF) in the Freeman Hospital.
The courageous youngster was just 12 when she underwent the surgery two years ago after being diagnosed with a form of heart disease called cardiomyopathy.
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Since then she has gone from strength to strength on her road to recovery and dedicated her time to raising awareness of the importance of organ donation.
That message was brought into sharp focus when a little boy's heart battle was highlighted on the new Channel 4 show Geordie Hospital.
Kayleigh, 14, along with parents, Shaun Sidney and Sonia Llewellyn, tuned in to watch as brave five-year-old Kit Matthews was fitted with a Berlin Heart as he waited for his own heart transplant at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital.
Kayleigh's dad, Shaun, said the show brought back so many memories for the family who could relate to every step of Kit's ordeal.
"It is an amazing programme," he said.
"I've always said the hospital staff don't get the recognition they deserve.
"Watching the show brought back loads of memories for us.
"It was lovely to know that little bairn is doing great and we can relate to everything that the parents have gone through.
"The worry and fear [wondering] if they are going to get the transplant or not.
"It made the hairs on the back of our neck stand up.
"It was just unreal as we could relate to every step they took.
"We were always thinking; 'is there light at the end of the tunnel?'"
Thankfully, Kit has now had his heart transplant and is thriving, but following his appearance on the show, his family has been keen to highlight just how important organ donation is.
It's a message that Kayleigh and her family have been campaigning for in the years since her surgery and now they hope that the show will encourage others to sign up to be an organ donor.
"If you have not been in that situation people just do not understand," dad Shaun said.
"A few years ago you never heard about organ donation.
"You knew it was there but never knew what was going on.
"Now, it's coming out into the limelight [through shows like Geordie Hosptial] which is where it should be.
"People need to understand that people are dying every day that need organ donation.
"I know it's hard for the family to say yes, but they don't realise how many lives they are saving and how much happiness they can give to another family.
"I know they are going through their grief and sadness, but put the shoe on the other foot, the lives they can save and the desperate kids and adults out there."
Seaham High School pupil Kayleigh, is a registered organ donor and hopes to take on a charity skydive for CHUF later this year.
Dad Shaun added: "It's a brilliant programme and it is nice to see the Freeman and the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) and the Children's Hospital on there because they do great work.
"Kayleigh was really fascinated by it and she was saying; 'you don't realize this sort of stuff goes on at hospitals so close to home, as you always think it is further afield.'
"She was just amazed by it."
To register to be an organ donor visit: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/donate/
