All Evie Green and her family want for Christmas is a new heart.

The four-year-old from Middlesbrough has been urgently waiting in hospital for a life-saving transplant for eight months while a machine keeps her alive.

Evie is one of more than 230 children across the UK urgently in need of an organ if they are to see another Christmas.

Her lengthy hospital stay - which has seen her suffer a cardiac arrest, fight sepsis and have a stent fitted - will continue over Christmas and has been prolonged by the lack of child organ donors.

The Northern Echo: Evie Green will spend Christmas in hospital hoping for the gift of life.Evie Green will spend Christmas in hospital hoping for the gift of life. (Image: PR)

Mum Chloe, from Middlesbrough, said: “Evie has had a tricky life full of hospital trips. We did manage to remain home for nearly three years which was amazing, however it was inevitable that this would be the situation we would find ourselves in.

“Evie deteriorated and was placed onto the Berlin heart suffering a cardiac arrest in the process. During the wait she has had a stent fitted and also fought off sepsis as well as numerous infections.

“If Evie is well then, we can cope but when she isn’t, we are in a really awful place of worry. My anxiety is at an all-time high worrying and waiting because of the complications that have happened so far. We know that we need that precious gift, and the waiting is very unnerving.

“A transplant would mean being a family of four at home. Most people take that for granted but for my husband, my son and me that is all we want more than anything. It would mean a better quality of life and time to thrive, I want Evie to continue with her love of life and all things fun.

“Evie cannot live without the gift of life so we are huge advocates of organ donation and will forever talk about Evie’s journey.”

The Northern Echo: Evie Green with a doll which has been made of her as part of a new campaign this Christmas.Evie Green with a doll which has been made of her as part of a new campaign this Christmas. (Image: PR)

Evie has dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease where the muscle walls of the heart become stretched, thin, and in turn weakened meaning the heart can’t squeeze properly to pump blood.

She needs a new heart if she is to stay alive.

But there is a significant lack of child organ donors resulting in children like Evie and their families waiting for a donation, that tragically sometimes doesn’t come.

In 2021/22 just 52 per cent of families who were approached about donating their child’s organs gave consent – just 40 donors under 18.

“I think the main thing is to think about what you would do if your child was waiting for an organ to live, would you accept a donated heart?”, Chloe added.

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“If so, would you donate an organ to save lives? It’s a conversation everyone should have in their families to save future lives and to give donors a beautiful legacy.”

In a bid to encourage potential donors Evie is part of a new campaign where kids waiting for new organs are being made into dolls. The dolls will be on display with QR codes telling each child’s story.

The Northern Echo: Evie's doll.Evie's doll. (Image: PR)

The ‘Waiting to Live’ campaign wants parents and families to consider organ donation and register themselves and their children as donors.

You can register to donate an organ on the NHS Organ Donor Register.