EXCLUSIVE: Poignant twist that saved life of baby after tragic girl, 2, drowned in paddling pool
The tragic death of Hannah Kealy led to a strange coincidence after her parents made the selfless decision to donate her organs
Deeply moved by a mum’s story on a grief podcast, as she spoke about the heartbreak of losing her little girl, Arlene MacNab made an extraordinary connection. Mother’s instinct told her that Hannah Kealy, who was just two when she suffered a fatal brain injury after falling into a paddling pool, had saved her son Zac’s life.
A few days after his birth in June 2022, Zac was unwell and his mum noticed a bruise on his leg. Placed in intensive care at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, at six days old he was transferred to Leeds Children’s Hospital. Tests showed he had haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare immune disorder which had been triggered by a virus and had led to organ failure.
Arlene, 35, content manager for an online fashion company, and her husband Brian, 44, of Clydesbank, a garage service advisor, were told his only chance of survival was a liver transplant - and time was running out.
But they were lucky and, in July that year, just five weeks old, Zac became one of the youngest babies ever to receive a new liver.
Now, three years later, in August this year, as she listened to mum Marie Kealy talk about the fact Hannah had been an organ donor, Arlene was sure it was her liver that was keeping Zac alive. Not only did the dates match, but the baby Marie said Hannah saved had been born premature, like Zac.
Arlene, who also has a son, Jake, six, with Brian, was so convinced she was correct that she contacted Marie and was delighted to discover she was right. She says: “Everything matched up. She also said that they had received a letter (from the transplant recipient’s family) and was going to reply. We had written a letter and hadn’t heard back yet. So everything fitted in to place.
“When we got in touch, I was so grateful to be able to thank her properly for what she and her family did. It’s been the beginning of a very emotional and wonderful friendship.”
Marie, 36, and her husband Denis, 40, a plasterer, who live in Laois, Ireland, decided to donate Hannah’s organs after doctors told them that she had no remaining brain activity, following the accident at the home of her childminder.
The selfless couple, who also have sons Tom, two, and Louis, nine months, together, while Denis has a daughter Ella, 20, from a previous relationship, asked the doctors if they could donate Hannah’s organs to help other children.
Marie says: “I knew that sick children needed other organs from a child and I wanted some good to come from losing Hannah. We couldn’t bring her back, but she could go on to make a difference to someone’s life.
“It was beyond devastating for us to lose her and if we could stop one parent being in the same pain as we were, then it was worth it. We would have done anything to bring Hannah back."
The couple were told that Hannah’s heart, her bowel and colon went to save another young child; her kidneys went to save a young mum and her liver had been given to save a premature baby.
Marie, a dog groomer, says: “It was such a comfort to hear that she had saved all these people - including the premature baby, whose last hope it was. Hannah was such a lovely two year old - she was easy going but she had an incredibly strong personality.
“She loved Masha the bear, and playing outdoors. She will always be a massive part of our family, and her brothers will know all about how special she was as they grow up.”
Keen to raise awareness of the dangers of paddling pools, Marie continues: “Water is a terrible risk to any child, whether it be in the river, sea, or just a few inches in a paddling pool. Children can’t be left unattended for more than a split second. There is no warning, this type of loss can be silent. We want everybody to be made more aware of this.”
Despite her terrible loss, Marie was overjoyed when she received a social media message from Arlene just after the Transplant Games in August this year, saying she thought Hannah was Zac’s donor.
She continues: “We had received a letter anonymously a while before, and hadn’t yet replied, as it's so difficult to write those words. When Arlene messaged me, we were so glad to hear from her. And to hear that Zac was doing so well was such a comfort. It was lovely to put a name and a face to one of Hannah’s gifts.“
Arlene and Marie are now in regular contact, and hope to meet up in the future.
“It meant such a lot to be able to tell Marie and Denis how thankful we are for what they did for Zac,” says Arlene. “We knew how close to death he was, and to be saved like this from the brink was incredible.
“Knowing about Hannah makes it even more special and the friendship we have with Marie and Denis is so cherished. I want them to see Zac growing up, and how Hannah’s gift has made that happen.”
What is Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis?
HLH is a severe systemic inflammatory syndrome that can be fatal. A rare immune disorder, it happens when the body reacts inappropriately to a trigger - usually an infection.
White blood cells known as T-cells and macrophages become over activated, which results in severe inflammation and damage to tissues like the liver, spleen and bone marrow.
HLH can be difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms can mimic other conditions, including severe infection.