Vinnie, 5, from Birmingham, remains on NHS transplant list after three open heart surgeries
ITV News Central Reporter Ravneet Nandra reports on five-year-old Vinnie who is waiting for a heart transplant
A five-year-old boy born with half a heart could face waiting up to three years on the NHS transplant list for a new organ.
Vinnie Holliday has a special condition called Hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means he has half a heart.
He's been in and out of hospital all his life and has to have nine different medicines a day to keep his condition at bay while he awaits a donor.
The schoolboy, who is from Birmingham, has been put on the waiting list for a heart transplant but this wait could take up to three years.
His mother Claire explains how she first found out about his condition, telling ITV News: "We were told he had this condition at 20 weeks pregnant so he would need three open-heart surgeries under the age of five.
"It's a life-limiting condition but hopefully would see him to later life."
Vinnie's mum tells of what it would mean for her son and the family if he has a heart donor
Vinnie and his family are hoping to get that special call any day now - and start 2022 off with the best gift they could ask for.
She adds: "It would be a new lease of life for Vinnie, having a full-working heart for Vinnie would be something we can't imagine."
Claire is now encouraging people to have the conversation with families about their decision to donate their organs so that more lives can be saved across the UK.
She said: "A lot of things happen and people are not aware of what their partners, friends and families wishes are, so it's really important to discuss them.
"So when, if ever something awful happens, they follow the wishes through."
Organ transplant list: How many are on it?
East of England - 358
London - 1,230
The Midlands - 1,049
North East and Yorkshire - 795
North West - 684
South East - 632
South West - 436
Wales - 209
Her comments come as there are currently 1,049 patients awaiting an organ transplant in the Midlands and many of their lives could be saved or significantly improved if a donor is found.
However, every day across the UK someone dies in need of an organ transplant. NHS Blood and Transplant want to change that.
Olive Mcgowan, chief nurse at NHS Blood and Transplant said: "For young children and particularly of a smaller size, the waiting times can be two and a half times that of an adult."
"So really sadly for children, their wait could be much longer.
"This again, is where we encourage everybody - parents and families - to have that conversation with their family and leave them certain of that decision."