CBE for woman who set up Liver Unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital

A 'pioneering' professor at Birmingham Children's Hospital who set up its world renowned Liver Unit that has helped save thousands of lives, has been honoured with a CBE in the New Year's Honours list.

Professor Deirdre Kelly set up the specialist paediatric liver unit in 1989. Since then it has grown from just two beds to one of the busiest units in the world.

The team she developed at the hospital pioneered the UK's first ever infant liver transplantation in 1989. Over the last 26 years more than 900 liver transplants have been carried out at the hospital.

She has helped transform the rates for young people surviving transplant operations from 40% in 1989 to 90% today.

Professor Kelly, who now leads a team of more than 50 physicians, surgeons, nurses and allied health professionals, also led on the first ever infant liver and small bowel transplantation in 1993.

She is still at the forefront of research to advance diagnosis and treatment using genetic technology to screen and diagnose liver conditions, making it quicker to treat children than ever before.

In addition to her busy schedule at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Professor Kelly, a mother of two and a grandmother, is also on the General Medical Council, a non-executive director at the Health Research Authority, Deputy Lieutenant for the West Midlands and a Professor of Paediatric Hepatology at the University of Birmingham.