It's a day Kayleigh Lewellyn's family thought they would never see.
Almost four years on from receiving a life-saving heart transplant at the age of just 12, Seaham teenager Kayleigh has celebrated her school prom. And the teenager arrived in style - thanks to a surprise visit from the medic who helped to save her life.
Proud parents, Shaun Sidney and Sonia Lewellyn reached out to Paul Hill who was part of the Freeman Hospital team who carried out the transplant in November 2019 and asked him to be a part of the milestone moment. The retired perfusionist gladly accepted and drove Kayleigh to her Seaham High School leaver's ball at Beamish Hall in his black Mustang on Thursday, July 6.
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"We had it all arranged and Kayleigh didn't know, so when Paul rocked up she was absolutely on cloud nine," Dad Shaun said.
"Paul took early retirement not long after he treated our Kayleigh. We have become very good friends with him and he is such a nice man, he keeps in touch with our Kayleigh and asks how she is getting on, it's great."
He continued: "Paul was going to retire early but when Kayleigh came in [to hospital] he could see that she had so much determination and wanted to stop on for [her]," Dad Shaun said.
"She had 10 operations and he was in for most of them and for the transplant as well. Even on his days off he would pop in and see her or at the end of his shift, he is a lovely man."
Kayleigh was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease, at the age of 12 after suddenly struggling to breathe and experiencing chest pains. She spent four weeks in intensive care and was placed on the urgent transplant list for a new heart. The family's prayers were answered when she received a new heart a month before Christmas in 2019.
"We can't thank Paul enough, he doesn't realise what he has done for us," Shaun said.
"This is one of them days that we thought we would never ever see. She is 16 now, has her place at college and wants to learn to drive, it's just amazing."
Kayleigh has gone from strength to strength on her road to recovery and devoted her time to raising awareness of organ donation to honour the gift of life she received from her heart donor Sinead Bree.
"The donor family still keeps in touch," Shaun added.
"I sent them the photographs of Kayleigh last night and they sent beautiful messages.
"They said they are just so in awe of Kayleigh and it makes them so proud to see where she has come from and to think that that they have helped to do this. Which is a lovely thing."
Kayleigh is now due to study health and social care at college in September with the aim of becoming a trauma nurse or paramedic after being inspired by the care she received in hospital.
"We are just so proud of her, she is such an inspiration," Shaun said.
"We love seeing her so happy and in a place where she is really comfortable, it's brilliant."
The family hopes Kayleigh's story will continue to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation. To learn more visit: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/
