Nine-month-old baby desperate for new heart to spend Christmas in hospital

The family of a baby from Luton who has been waiting nearly 100 days for a new heart have urged the public to talk more about organ donation.

Ethan Eaves will spend Christmas in hospital as the wait continues for a suitable heart to be donated.

The nine-month-old is one of 38 children on the waiting list for a heart in the UK.

His family are backing a campaign by NHS Blood and Transplant, which look after the organ donor system, which asks people to talk about donation with their family this Christmas.

Anthony Clarkson, the director of organ donation and transplant, said: "Please let your family know what your organ donation decision is so that we can save more lives.

"Every precious organ donor allows more families to spend special times together."

Ethan's family are hoping he will follow the path set by his father Richard, who had his own heart transplant in January.

Roselelia Eaves, Ethan's mum, said: ""If Ethan gets his transplant soon, it would mean an amazing end to 2019.

"As we are with Richard's donor, we would forever be grateful to that family and words cannot even begin to explain how precious of a gift and life you have given someone.

"We are all signed up for organ donation even Ethan.

"We have already had those discussions that should Ethan not survive his journey, we take comfort knowing he would live on and save another's life.

"We wake up every day hoping we get that call for Ethan. He is our world and all we want is for him to live."

In Spring 2020 the law will change meaning everyone in England is automatically on the donor register unless they opt out.