A devoted aunt embarked on a journey spanning over 4,000 miles to help her niece, who was battling cancer, following a setback in receiving a liver transplant from the NHS.
Phoebe Clarke’s parents, residing in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, received distressing news that their daughter had a rare form of cancer known as hepatic angiosarcoma. This diagnosis, received in February last year, left them with the understanding that Phoebe’s best chance for long-term survival was a complete liver replacement. However, the family faced further disappointment when the NHS declined to perform the operation due to concerns about the likelihood of the condition recurring.
Despite this setback, a remarkable crowdfunding effort raised nearly £200,000. With Phoebe’s aunt, Sarah Billington, stepping forward as a donor, the family made the decision to travel to Saudi Arabia for the procedure.
Phoebe’s parents, Matt Clarke and Lindsey Billington, were determined to give their daughter a fighting chance, no matter how slim. Hepatic angiosarcoma is an aggressive cancer that starts in the blood vessels of the liver, known for its invasive nature and poor prognosis.
Updating the Manchester Evening News, Lindsey expressed relief, stating that Phoebe underwent a successful surgery. Phoebe, although experiencing some discomfort, received positive feedback from both the liver team and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit doctors. Lindsey mentioned Phoebe’s eagerness for water and her spirited response to the restrictions on her intake.
The transplant, which took place at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, involved removing a portion of Sarah’s healthy liver and transplanting it into Phoebe. As the liver regenerates, Sarah’s liver is expected to return to its normal size within a few months.
Messages of support poured in for Phoebe, including a video from Manchester City fan and footballer Erling Haaland, and well wishes from former boxing champion, Frank Bruno.
While oncologists recommended a liver transplant, none of the three NHS centers capable of performing a live donor operation in Leeds, King’s London, and Birmingham deemed it suitable.
Expressing gratitude on social media, Lindsey thanked everyone who contributed to their cause, expressing that they had arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the surgery, thanks to the generosity of supporters.
Dr. Magnus Harrison, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, extended his sympathies to Phoebe’s family for the distress caused by the difficult decision regarding the transplant. The consensus among specialist centers in Birmingham and London, in consultation with NHS Blood and Transplant, was that a liver transplant was not the appropriate course of treatment for Phoebe.
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