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Little boy has the best reaction to news of his heart transplant

<p>For the past 211 days, five-year-old congestive heart failure sufferer Ari Schultz has anxiously awaited a heart transplant. Six days ago, he and his family finally got the news they had been desperate for – a donor had been found.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdangerschultz%2Fvideos%2F1268332169916698%2F&amp;show_text=1&amp;width=560" width="560" height="489" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></p> <p>After spending almost two-thirds of the year at Boston Children’s Hospital, Ari finally underwent the life-saving surgery, and we’re happy to report he’s doing well.</p> <p>See his incredible reaction to the news above and to follow his journey to recovery, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dangerschultz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/03/dying-woman-writes-heartfelt-dating-profile-on-behalf-of-husband/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Dying woman writes heartfelt dating profile on behalf of husband</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/03/sisters-missing-for-30-years-found-alive/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Sisters missing for 30 years found alive</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/03/nurse-pulls-over-to-save-pregnant-woman-in-crash/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Nurse en-route to work saves pregnant woman in car crash</strong></em></span></a></p>

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Grandma gives toddler second chance with kidney transplant

<p>A toddler with severe kidney problems has received a lifesaving transplant from his 59-year-old grandmother, in one of the largest age-gap donations ever.</p> <p>Three-year-old Jack Cox was born without a kidney, and with just four per cent function in the other. After spending the first two years of his life in considerable pain, he was put on dialysis last autumn when his remaining kidney began to fail.</p> <p>But, just as all seemed lost, his 59-year-old grandmother Julie Cox stepped in and offered one of her own. Much to the family’s delight, they were a perfect match.</p> <p>Julie told the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Huffington Post</strong></span></a>, “I just knew it would be me, don’t ask me why but I just had this feeling. I even started getting ready to save holiday so I could book time off work because I knew it. The surgeons told me this happens more than you think - there’s just something in the genes that tells you. It was the best match we could have hoped for.</p> <p>"The doctors don’t even understand it how it’s possible for me to share that many of sets of genes with him. Doctors are often concerned about children receiving adult kidneys, but when they looked at my left kidney it was only two thirds the size of a normal adult kidney but it was doing 45% of the work so was fine.</p> <p>"I feel like I was born to donate a kidney to Jack.”</p> <p>What a lovely story. You have to admire Julie’s sacrifice, and she’ll now have a bond with Jack that will last forever. Share any messages of support in the comments. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/08/grandson-surprises-grandparents-with-brand-new-car/"><strong>Grandson surprises grandparents with brand new car</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/08/grandson-not-ashamed-of-grandparents-underwear/"><strong>Grandson not ashamed of his grandparent’s underwear</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/08/grandmother-gives-up-spot-on-organ-transplant-list/"><strong>Great grandmother gives up spot on organ transplant list for younger woman</strong></a></em></span></p>

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Great grandmother gives up spot on organ transplant list for younger woman

<p>An American woman has selflessly forgone a liver transplant so that she could save the life of a woman younger than her.</p> <p>Benda Jones, 69, had joined a transplant waiting list after she was diagnosed with liver failure a year ago, local broadcaster <em>WFAA-TV</em> reports. On July 18 of this year, she got the call announcing that a liver had become available for her.</p> <p>However, when Mrs Jones reached Baylor University Medical Centre hospital for the surgery, she discovered that 23-year-old Abigail Flores had also just arrived in the emergency room. Doctors told Miss Flores that without a new liver, she would live another day at best.</p> <p>So, when doctors approached Brenda with the information, she felt compelled to step aside.</p> <p>“In my heart, I wouldn’t have been able to live with the liver if I had let this little girl die," she said.</p> <p>Ms Flores is now recovering in hospital and thanks god for Brenda’s good deed “each and every day”.</p> <p>"If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be sitting right here right now,” she said.</p> <p>And in a true happy ending, Mrs Jones has now also undergone surgery and received a new liver.</p> <p>What a special person. Are you an organ donor? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/08/grandson-surprises-grandparents-with-brand-new-car/"><em>Grandson surprises grandparents with brand new car</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/08/police-make-dinner-for-lonely-elderly-couple-found-in-tears/"><em>Police make dinner for lonely elderly couple found in tears</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/08/bride-walked-down-the-aisle-by-man-who-received-her-fathers-heart/"><em>Bride walked down the aisle by man who received her father’s heart</em></a></strong></span></p>

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Grandpa goes to beautiful lengths to save his grandson’s life

<p>A grandfather in the US has come up with an ingenious idea to save his grandson, who was born with just one kidney which doesn’t function properly. Unfortunately, Howard Broadman will be too old to donate a kidney by the time grandson Quinn needs a transplant, so he’s done the next best thing – a “kidney voucher”.</p> <p>This would involve Broadman donating a kidney to a stranger now, while he is able, in exchange for a “kidney voucher”. This credit could then be used by Quinn when the time comes that would place him at the top of the waitlist.</p> <p>Together with Dr Jeffrey Veale, the loving grandfather set up the UCLA Kidney Transplantation Exchange program, which he kicked off by donating one of his kidneys to a patient on the waitlist.</p> <p>“This is groundbreaking and could completely change the field of transplantation,” Dr Veale said. “The demand for a kidney transplant is tremendous, but with this program, I would argue that, for the first time in history, we can actually start reducing the number of people who are on the waitlist.”</p> <p>What an incredible and selfless idea. Do you think a program like this should be introduced in New Zealand? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/07/cancer-survivors-prove-scars-are-beautiful/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Cancer survivors prove scars are beautiful</em></span></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/teacher-donates-kidney-to-student/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Teacher donates kidney to her student</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/01/grandma-donates-kidney-to-sick-toddler/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Grandmother donates kidney to two-year-old grandson</strong></em></span></a></p>

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Mother hears baby son’s donated heart beating inside girl

<p>A mother whose seven-month-old son died suddenly has now heard her boy's beating heart inside the young girl whose life he saved.</p> <p>In an incredibly emotional moment, Heather Clark places a stethoscope on the chest of four-year-old organ recipient Jordan Drake. When she hears the heartbeat, she begins sobbing.</p> <p>Jordan’s mother, Esther Gonzalez, whispers to Clark, “That’s your baby.”</p> <p>It was the first time in three years, Clark had heard the heartbeat of her late son Lukas.</p> <p>It was "the happiest day of her life since her son was born," Donate Life Arizona Media Relations Coordinator Jacqueline Keidel told CBS News.</p> <p>When Clark's son died suddenly in June 2013, she agreed to donate his organs – a decision that ended up saving three lives, including Drake’s.</p> <p>"I knew if Lukas could prevent another family from experiencing the loss that I felt, that's what I needed to do," Clark said.</p> <p>Lukas’s heart saved Drake’s life, who at just 18 months old was fighting to live due to a congenital heart defect.</p> <p>While Gonzalez is happy a “miracle” saved her baby girl, she couldn’t help but cry for her donor family.</p> <p>"Whoever they were. I knew they had just lost a child," she said.</p> <p>While the reunion was years in the making, the two women hope their emotional meeting will inspire others to consider organ donation.</p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/12/life-lessons-from-grandparents/">Top 10 life lessons kids learn from grandparents</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/5-types-of-grandparents/">There are 5 different types of grandparents – which one are you?</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/parents-and-kids-who-look-identical/">10 pics of parents and kids who look identical</a></em></strong></span></p>

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