Kayleigh Taylor from Clare saves best friend's son's life

Kayleigh Taylor, from Clare near Sudbury, made the donation to help her friend Lauren Beckett's 22-month-old son Tommy.

Tommy was diagnosed with neonatal hemochromatosis a rare disorder that causes excess iron to pool in the liver - and doctors warned he could die without a transplant. 

The best friends and baby Tommy (Image: SWNS)

An urgent appeal saw more than 200 people put themselves forward as potential donors, without success.

Mrs Taylor came to Tommy's rescue and donated part of her liver after testing positive as a donor match. 

She saved his life and almost two years on, Tommy is thriving.

Kayleigh and Tommy both underwent surgery on December 17, 2021, with brave Tommy spending eight hours in theatre at just six weeks old.

He will be on immunosuppressants for the rest of his life which helps prevent his body from rejecting Kayleigh’s liver.

For Kayleigh, she would do it all over again to save him.

"I don't know why anyone wouldn't have put themselves forward - I'm grateful it got to be me who helped Tommy," said Kayleigh, a payroll clerk.

Baby Tommy (Image: SWNS)

"Every time I see Lauren, she says she doesn't know what she'd do without me, but I don't even feel she has anything to thank me for.

"With Lauren, it's totally changed our friendship. A day rarely goes by where we don't speak and we are so close.

"Then with Tommy, I feel an overwhelming need to protect him and know he's ok. It's not a feeling I've had before."

Ms Beckett said: "Tommy is talking saying mum, dad, and even Chase, a Paw Patrol character.

“He loves the outdoors and going for walks. He is always mesmerised by trees.

“Tommy is walking too, if you give him a helping hand. Spending the first five months in hospital, he is behind, but exactly where he should be at this stage – he is doing amazing.

“I am such a proud mother and he is an extremely brave boy."