Girl, 13, saves eight lives as UK's highest ever organ donor

Eight of Jemima Layzell's organs have been given to others, including five children. Credit: Layzell Family

A girl from Horton, Somerset, who died from a brain aneurysm in 2012, has saved the lives of eight people through organ donations.

Jemima Layzell was only 13 when she collapsed while preparing for her mother's 38th birthday party.

She died four days later in March 2012 at Bristol Children's Hospital.

NHS Blood and Transplant staff now say Jemima is the only recorded donor in the UK to have had solid organs transplanted into eight different people. A typical donation usually results in 2.6 transplants.

Included in those eight are five children who received an organ from Jemima.

Her heart, small bowel, pancreas, both kidneys, both lungs, and liver - which was split and given to two people - were all donated.

Jemima's mother, Sophy Layzell, 43, says they had a conversation about becoming a donor just weeks before her unexpected death.

She says the conversation was prompted by the death of someone they knew in a crash.

Mrs Layzell has since created the Jemima Layzell Trust, which raises funds to help young people with brain injuries.

Jemima (right) with her younger sister, Amelia. Credit: Layzell Family

Jemima's father, Harvey Layzell, 49, said the family had initially felt unsure about donating her heart, until watching a programme about children awaiting heart transplants.

Anyone can sign up to become a donor online. Credit: NHS Blood and Transplant

456 people died waiting for a transplant last year, including 14 children, according to NHS Blood and Transplant.

There are currently 6,414 people on the transplant waiting list, including 176 children.