How seven-year-old Abigail Iles saved four lives

Mar 22 2009 by Helen Rae, Sunday Sun

DEVASTATED parents Elizabeth and Kenneth Iles had their young daughter cruelly taken away from them.

Abigail, seven, died at the University Hospital of Hartlepool following a massive brain haemorrhage.

But now, two years on, her parents take comfort from their daughter having helped to save four lives.

After Abigail’s tragic death, her family were asked if the UK Transplant Service could donate her organs. And they agreed to do so . . . in their daughter’s memory.

The youngster’s heart, liver, and both kidneys were donated to three children and one adult.

Elizabeth, 43, an accounts clerk from Hartlepool, said: “It is nice to know that something good has come from our tragic daughter’s death and we do gain some solace from that.

“We are proud that Abigail has helped several critically ill people and hope that others would do the same for us. It is uplifting to think that a part of her is living on in others.

“Abigail was such a loving little girl who always liked cuddles and kisses. If anyone was upset she would do her very best to comfort them and we know she would have wanted to help save others’ lives.”

Bright, bubbly and popular, Abigail was a pupil at St Aidan’s C of E Memorial Primary School in Hartlepool and was very musical, learning to play the piano and violin. She was also a member of her school choir.

On the day the youngster took seriously ill, October 11, 2007, Abigail began suffering severe headaches, nausea and projectile vomiting. Her condition rapidly deteriorated and she was admitted to intensive care.

Within 24 hours her parents Elizabeth and Kenneth, 39, a funeral director, had the harrowing task of watching their only child’s life-support machine switched off.