"She is doing really well" - Rosie, 3, recovering in hospital after heart transplant

Rosie Day, three, had been on the waiting list for a heart after she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy last July.

In February Rosie, of Woodham Mortimer, was fitted with a mechanical pump known as the Berlin Heart and required to remain in hospital.

Last week, after nearly six months in intensive care, Rosie underwent transplant surgery.

Her mum Sara, of Post Office Road, said receiving the transplant call was “surreal”.

She said: “In the time we have been here a number of people had calls about possible [transplants] and they haven’t come to anything. You don’t allow yourself to believe it until it actually happens and she is being wheeled down to theatre.”

She added: “We are now on Bear ward and out of intensive care. She is doing really well and recovering brilliantly. GOSH have been absolutely incredible with Rosie. They have looked after her and kept her alive.”

Rosie is now on 17 different medications and has undergone the first of three biopsies to check whether her body has accepted the transplant.

Mrs Day and husband Barry have been keeping people updated with Rosie’s progress online.

They have thanked the “incredible, brave, selfless and courageous” family of Rosie’s donor, who has not been identified, and said her donor would live on through Rosie.

In the UK, around 180 transplants are carried out each year.

A campaign on social media called for people to sign up for the transplant register to help Rosie and other people in desperate need of organs.

Mrs Day added: “The amount of people who have had an outpouring of love and support on social media has been amazing.”

She said they family would continue to campaign for more people to sign the register.

She said: “Rosie has got her heart, but there are still lots of other children and adults who are waiting for transplants.”

Visit registerforrosie.com.