Toddler asking Santa Claus for life-saving heart transplant

By Megan Nuttall and Jack Fifield

A toddler who suffered multiple cardiac arrests is now in end-stage heart failure and is asking Father Christmas for a life-saving heart transplant this Christmas.

Little Willow Stansfield, 18 months, was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure in August after having two cardiac arrests.

The tot had caught a common virus before deteriorating in what her mom, Elisha-Mai, 18, has described as a "living nightmare".

Without a heart transplant, the Willow - who still uses a dummy - will die.

Elisha-Mai says the experience is "incredibly isolating, unpredictable, worrying and scary".

Elisha-Mai, a stay at home, from Bury, Greater Manchester, said: "We never know what tomorrow will bring.

"We don't know how long it will be until Willow receives that life-saving gift of heart transplant.

"The wait time has gone to 18 to 24 months for a transplant but it could be longer or a shorter wait.

"She's cheeky, intelligent, amusing, and despite everything going on, she still tries to be the happiest little girl."

Shortly after Willow's first birthday, she began having symptoms of parvovirus, which has similar signs to that of the common cold or flu.

After further visits to her GP and A&E, followed by treatment with antibiotics, she was admitted to North Manchester General Hospital, where x-rays showed evidence of pneumonia.

Her condition worsened and she was transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool for an echocardiogram, which showed heart failure.

A month later, after treatment failed to manage her condition, she was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure, when the heart is too weak to pump blood effectively.

Following her diagnosis, Willow was transferred by helicopter to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne - more than 150 miles away from the family’s home.

While mom Elisha-Mai has moved in with young Willow, dad Luke Stansfield, 19, a mechanic, makes the mammoth journey to be with his only child every weekend.

Elisha said: "It's been scary in ways nobody could ever prepare for, it has been exhausting and there's always a feeling of uncertainty. We feel helpless.

"It's horrible for me being alone [during the week] but also horrible for Luke having to leave to go home without us."

Willow now faces spending Christmas in the pediatric intensive care unit, rather than being at home with her family.

Elisha-Mai said: "Willow will wake up surrounded by the nurses and not with her mom and dad like she should be.

"We will try and make Christmas as normal as possible and make the most out of a bad situation. However, it will never be the same as if she was at home."

Now Elisha-Mai is calling for others to think about what they would do if their child's organs could help others were the worst to happen.

She said: "It's easy to believe you will never be in a position to make that tough decision for your children. We never thought we would be in this position with Willow.

"If you were in our position would you want your child to receive a heart transplant to survive?

"I just ask that you think of that if you have the conversation about making that decision for your children.

"We're not waiting for a child to die, unfortunately, children are already dying. 

"We're waiting for somebody to be brave and make the most selfless decision in their time of heartbreak and devastation to save children like Willow.

"A successful heart transplant would change Willow's life.

"It's a taboo subject and I completely understand that it can be hard to have that conversation.

"But that one conversation can save so many lives."