Little boy 'wouldn't be here' if dad hadn't picked up urgent phone call at 2am
A toddler's life was saved thanks to the swift actions of his father who rushed him to the hospital after receiving a phone call at 2am.
The family say without the lifesaving treatment, their little boy "wouldn't be here". Aedan Klieve, now three years old, has been battling severe kidney disease since birth. His parents, Shirley, 41, and Paul, 44, have been by his side throughout his ongoing treatment and dialysis at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
The couple were first alerted to abnormalities during their 20-week scan but were unaware of the severity of Aedan's condition until later in the pregnancy. Shirley shared the heartbreaking reality they faced when doctors told them Aedan "wouldn't come out the delivery room alive".
Aedan Klieve with his parents Shirley and Paul and the renal and dialysis team at Alder Hey Children's Hospital (Alder Hey Children's Hospital/Klieve family)In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, Shirley recounted the emotional turmoil of her final weeks of pregnancy: "It was awful. The last few weeks of pregnancy you're meant to be out looking for outfits. But we were looking for a burial outfit. But Aedan came out screaming." Despite the grim prognosis, the family held onto hope. "We always said, as long as we had a heartbeat we had hope," she added.
Residing on the Isle of Man, the family has had to undertake a gruelling travel schedule, flying three times a week to Alder Hey for Aedan's treatment. This often involves catching flights at 4.30am and staying late into the night. Young Aedan battled kidney failure from an early age. Despite undergoing treatments such as peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis, the need for a transplant was always looming. As Aedan's health deteriorated just before his second birthday, the urgency for a kidney transplant escalated.
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Sadly, Aedan's mother, Shirley, was unable to donate her kidney due to her own health complications. His father, Paul, was in the process of becoming a donor when doctors discovered a medical issue that required immediate attention, rendering him unable to donate his kidney. This left the family in a state of agonising suspense, waiting for a suitable kidney to become available for their son. During this period, Paul admitted, "it was touch and go for Aedan".
However, at 2.03am on a fateful August morning, the call they had been anxiously awaiting finally came. Shirley recalled: "There was a kidney waiting for Aedan. We grabbed our bags and Aedan and his dad, Paul, went to hospital by air ambulance and I followed with all our stuff closely behind." The surgery, which lasted approximately six hours, was a success. The kidney was a perfect match and Aedan's recovery was remarkable. Just five days post-surgery, he was sitting up in his cot, giggling and laughing. "I couldn't believe it," said an overjoyed Shirley.
The life-saving transplant arrived just in time for Aedan's third birthday. Reflecting on their journey, Paul stated: "Without donors our little boy wouldn't be here celebrating his third birthday." Shirley describes her son Aedan as a "very clever little boy" and an "absolute dream". The three year old aviation enthusiast and his family are regulars at Manchester Airport's visitor centre, making the most of their weekends.
The family is now using Aedan's story to shine a spotlight on organ donation during Organ Donation Week, which runs from Monday, September 18 to Sunday, September 24. Despite recent changes in law shifting to an opt-out system for organ donation across England, Scotland, and Wales, it's crucial to note that family members will always be consulted before any organ donation procedure.
A representative from Alder Hey Children's Hospital emphasised the importance of registering your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. They stressed that families are more likely to support the decision if the individual has registered, highlighting the need to ensure friends and family are aware of one's wishes.
To join the ranks of potential life-savers and register as an organ donor, click here.
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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