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Ted Parks on the mend after heart transplant

Dec 13 2009 by Rob Pattinson, Sunday Sun

“The doctors are pleased with his progress but we’re not off the rollercoaster yet.

“Sometimes you can’t even let yourself think about Ted coming home, because you daren’t.

“You try not to get too excited by all the little steps he takes, but obviously you can’t help yourself.

“We just couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present.”

Stephen, 34, added: “We got a phone call at 6am, telling us don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with Ted, there’s a heart for him. It was just massive. It still hasn’t sunk in yet.”

The family and medics in Newcastle have been quick to pass on their regret at the loss the donor’s family have suffered.

“Doctors flew out to Europe during the week to collect the heart for Ted after a suitable match was found.

In October this year, with just 10 minutes to live, he was transferred from Teesside to Tyneside by the Great North Air Ambulance for live-saving treatment.

Medics feared for the youngster’s life so much the Tyne Tunnel was closed to rush his parents to his side.

Doctors broke the devastating news Ted would need a life-saving transplant after his own heart was “worn out” by an illness called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

The condition, which causes an irregular heart rhythm, is understood to be so rare, Ted was the only known sufferer in the world.

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