A north-east singer has declared she “feels good” after a potentially life-saving transplant, 20 years after she was told she only had weeks to live.
Jenna Cameron, 30, was flown to hospital in Birmingham in the Scottish Ambulance Service’s plane on Tuesday to receive a liver transplant, having been thrown a lifeline by doctors.
As a 10-year-old, she was given just a month to live as she was diagnosed with rare cancer hepatocellular carcinoma – but doctors saved her life by removing three-quarters of her liver.
Two decades later, and with two young daughters, Aria-Skye, three, and Ivy-Rose, two, she prepared for the worst as she was told the illness she had fought as a child had returned.
Last night her mother Susan Evans revealed a whirlwind 48 hours.
The 51-year-old posted on Facebook: “The surgeons have been blown away.
“The transplant went beautifully and Jen coped remarkably well throughout.
“She opened her eyes and gave them a thumbs up and whispered she felt good.”
Only days ago, Mrs Evans had spoken of hopes to one day share half of her own liver with her daughter in a bid to save her life.
But it is understood Ms Cameron was also on the general transplant waiting list.
Doctors at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham had previously said a transplant would not be possible because of a high rate of “cancer markers” in Ms Cameron’s blood.
The specialists feared the risk of her body rejecting a donated organ would be too high but alternative treatment, using electrical currents, reduced the rate of the tumour’s growth.
This provided the stability for surgeons to operate yesterday.
But the long journey to the transplant almost faltered on the eve of procedure – as her new liver “was not playing ball”.
Mrs Evans revealed issues were flagged with the organ, hooked up to a machine while her daughter was in pre-theatre observations, had halted the transplant.
After “a few stressful and emotional hours”, her mother said surgeons were satisfied all was well enough for the transplant to go ahead.
Lying in her hospital bed the singer, who has been selling her record Fearless online under the stage name Cameron Jay to pay for her holistic care, was filmed belting out the Mariah Carey anthem Hero.
Last night her mother Mrs Evans added: “Our little warrior did it.
“We trusted the best specialists in the UK with our precious girl and can’t thank them enough.
“The next 72 hours are critical and we have put our faith in the angels.”
