- Scarlett Leybourne diagnosed with enlarged heart at six months old
- Mother Ashleigh told it was unlikely she would survive
- Condition appeared to heal itself, but then got worse again
- Toddler spent last Christmas in hospital isolation on artificial heart
- Has now had a transplant and will be spending Christmas with family
By
Luke Salkeld
17:47 EST, 23 December 2013
|
22:03 EST, 23 December 2013
There are lots of things Scarlett Ungurs doesn’t want for Christmas this year. No doctors, no nurses, no tubes to be hooked up to, and definitely no hospitals.
And as her mother, watching her lively three-year-old exploring under the Christmas tree, is delighted to say, Scarlett’s wish is coming true.
In fact, this is the first Christmas her little girl will really be able to enjoy the magic of the season, free of the health problems that nearly cost her life.
Home for Christmas: Three-year-old Scarlett Leybourne and her mother Ashleigh will be celebrating Christmas at home this year after Scarlett spent the last one in hospital because of a life-threatening heart condition
Scarlett Ungurs has been fighting for her life ever since she was diagnosed with a rare heart condition when she was just six months old.
Placed at the top of the transplant list and kept alive by an artificial heart, doctors told her parents, Ashleigh Leybourne, 28, and Darren Ungurs, 34, to expect the worst.
At their lowest ebb, the couple even started to make funeral arrangements.
Even when Scarlett started to recover without having a transplant after her heart healed itself she then caught a nasty chest infection and she was once again forced to rely on an artificial heart.
Luckily four months later Scarlett underwent a successful heart transplant and began making a full recovery.
Now her mother has described her relief at having her daughter home in time for her fourth Christmas with an all clear.
Scarlett was diagnosed with a rare condition aged just six months meaning her heart was enlarged
Close to death: Doctors didn’t think she would make it to her first birthday and her parents even started making funeral arrangements as her health failed her
The family from Newcastle Upon Tyne, say they cannot wait to spend the day with her now there is no longer a need for Scarlett to be in kept isolation as she was last year.
Miss Leybourne said: ‘We’re so excited for Christmas this year. We are going to spend the day with all of our family, which we couldn’t do last year because Scarlett was so ill she wasn’t allowed to come into contact with other people.
‘When she was ill we went from being a normal family to being in pieces. It was absolutely awful.
‘Then we thought she had recovered and she ended up in hospital again, we just couldn’t believe she had gone back to square one – well worse even.
Alone: Last year Scarlett was so ill she had to be kept in hospital isolation as human contact could have killed her
Desperate: During her last illness Scarlett had to have operation virtually every day due to internal bleeding
Artificial heart: Machine kept Scarlett alive as surgeons worried she might not live long enough for a transplant
‘We didn’t expect her to make it through – she was so ill. But now she has recovered we are just so relieved.’
Scarlett was born weighing a healthy 8lb 8oz in December 2010. But at six months she developed a persistent cough which was diagnosed as a chest infection.
When her breathing got worse, a consultant changed suggested she was suffering from asthma, but it was only by chance that Scarlett was x-rayed by a trainee doctor who found that her heart was seriously enlarged.
Scarlett was close to death, with her heart functioning at just four per cent, and she was hooked up to an artificial organ to keep her alive.
As the family waited nervously for a transplant heart to become available, astonishingly Scarlett’s heart appeared to heal itself – a process only seen in 20 cases worldwide.
Fighter: However Scarlett pulled through and will be spending Christmas at home with family this year
Thankful: Ashleigh says that without the kindness of a stranger donating their heart Scarlett wouldn’t be here
But the happiness was short-lived when the youngster fell ill again just months later.
Scarlett spent four months waiting for a transplant and underwent an operation almost daily while waiting, due to internal bleeding. Her parents were told three times their daughter was not going to make it so they began to make funeral plans.
But the tot pulled through yet again, and now, despite the trauma, Scarlett appears to be just like any other three year old.
Miss Leybourne said: ‘Scarlett has been through so much, she has had about 20 operations and about half have been quite major.
‘Before Scarlett got the heart transplant the surgeons told us she was in real trouble. The night before her transplant was horrendous. I was planning her funeral in my head some nights.
‘It’s a massive relief to know our baby girl is home once and for all and is back to being her cheeky little self.
‘Despite the fact she missed out on quite a lot whilst she was in hospital she is just like every other three year old.’
or comment on this article
-
Dead wife’s heartbreaking letter to husband’s new love
-
Old school: Suspended Phil on Duck Dynasty
-
GRAPHIC CONTENT: Moment dead Sperm Whale EXPLODES
-
VIDEO: Lion sent FLYING through the air before turning on…
-
Boy teaching his husky puppy to howl
-
Nigella in the teaser for her new show The Taste
-
Judge may impose a gag order in Hernandez murder case
-
Dramatic rescue of dog from icy river
-
Dog steers baby away from dangerous waves in Turkey
-
Sheets of ice smash down in shopping mall
-
Scene video: Father and son plunge to their deaths from…
-
Samsung releases cringe-worthy new ad for smart watch
-
EXCLUSIVE – Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson breaks his…
-
‘I love you whoever you are’: Mother gives her husband’s new…
-
Smiling and swaggering Aaron Hernandez drives his victim’s…
-
‘This was his sick way to take Kirill away from me’: Mother…
-
Has the mystery of nine skiers who died in the Siberian…
-
Emergency services have a busy night as ‘Mad Friday’…
-
Overweight? It could mean you’ll go deaf: Regular exercise…
-
The wall of love and sorrow: What would you write to your…
-
Chicago sandwich shop fires 20 employees in an EMAIL just 2…
-
Stalker jailed after plotting to murder swimwear model after…
-
Woman who believes she was a fairy in a previous life has…
-
Is this the most extreme window display ever? Brutal…
Comments (10)
what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
Gemma,
leicestershire,
3 hours ago
Merry Christmas little one x
Poppy,
Londonderry,
10 hours ago
sounds as though she had cardiomyopathy which is the word for enlarged heart , there are several types of this .
Husband and both adult kids have it , thankfully they are medication controlled so far.
Wishing this little girl and her family a very happy christmas and thoughts with the kind donors family .
frankieg,
stevenage, United Kingdom,
14 hours ago
What 4 hearts did she have? She appears to have had the one she was born with, used an artificial one for a while then had a transplant , Anyway she looks so very well and happy -do well little one
Sarah the nurse,
Iowa USA,
14 hours ago
What a lucky, beautiful child. Hope she has a wonderful Christmas
carol,
sheffield,
15 hours ago
What a sweet little girl. I hope that Scarlett now goes on to lead a very full and long life.
Happy Christmas to all of you and may it be the first of many to come. x
thenervoussurgeon,
Pattaya, Thailand,
15 hours ago
Merry xmas little one ,and many ,many ,many more to come.
animal-lover,
Seven Lakes-US, United States,
15 hours ago
Scarlett, you are such a beautiful little girl! Merry Christmas and I know Santa has lots of gifts for you! All the best to you and your family.
big.stevo,
Whitton, United Kingdom,
16 hours ago
Bless her…Scarlett, have a happy Christmas and I sincerely hope Santa brings you EVERYTHING you want and I pray that there are many, many more Christmases for you ahead….God bless!!
Newt,
Uk,
18 hours ago
God bless her, happy Christmas Scarlett x
Allan,
English love it, United Kingdom,
18 hours ago
Scarlett have a very happy Christmas your smile says it all bless you little one.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Find out now