The most heartwarming story of the week for me was learning about a little baby who lived for only 100 minutes but who changed the life of someone for ever.
When young Welsh couple Jess Evans and Mike Houlston were told they were expecting twins they were thrilled. Their joy turned to sadness when they learned that one of the babies had a life-limiting condition and wouldn’t survive outside the womb.
Jess and Mike quietly decided that they would offer this baby as a gift to save someone’s life.
When their twins Noah and Teddy were born, an organ transplant team were standing by to help.
The young parents held their little son for 100 minutes, talking to him, touching him, smelling his newborn skin, breathing him in, taking photographs to last a lifetime.
They were together as a family mum, dad and two little brothers. A brief and precious time but so many poignant memories remain.
Last week Jess and Mike spoke for the first time about their decision to let Teddy’s kidneys be used for a transplant.
Their courage is breathtaking. In the midst of their sadness they were able to reach out and give new hope to someone who desperately needed a new kidney. “It’s Teddy’s legacy,” they said.
The kidneys were taken to Leeds and the surgical process began to transfer them to the adult who was waiting and hoping for such a miracle. Astonishingly, those tiny kidneys grew inside the adult body and were able to function and give a second chance to a seriously-ill patient whose life has now been transformed.
“It was a team effort,” the doctors said last week.
Modern medical science is miraculous. So much can be achieved. The knowledge, skill and dedication of healthcare professionals is breathtaking. We take it all so much for granted. But we should never forget that the courage of ordinary people also plays a huge part in the process.
If a young couple, facing the trauma of the life and death of their beloved baby son Teddy, were able to reach out and think of others, then surely this says so much about the goodness that is part of our common humanity?
So often in daily life it’s easy to forget this. Selfishness, greed, the cruelty of the strong against the weak, can make us despair. But love is stronger than hate.
Today someone is enjoying this moment because the parents of one little baby knew they wanted to make Teddy’s short life matter.
What is a legacy? Is it a statue in a public place? A huge sum of money in the bank? A footnote in the history books?
Or is it recognising that the truest and most lasting legacy we can leave is life, love, hope and health to someone in need.
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