Incredible liver donor from Barnsley battles back to health after saving baby's life

Rugby player Courtney Evans, 25, decided to undergo the procedure after she saw a social media appeal in March 2024.

Scrolling through Facebook, Courtney saw a desperate plea from a mother begging for a donor to save her baby’s life.

She said: “I enquired about that, but they got back to me and said that that baby had already been given a liver, but asked if I would do another child.

“I said yes, obviously. I just never knew it was something you could do and live a normal life.

“Obviously there’s a risk because it’s a major operation, but there’s not that much long-lasting risk, so why not?

“I can go back to my normal self, so why not?”

Courtney, from Barnsley, South Yorks, has been left with a 25cm scar on her stomach from the op - but her liver grew back to full size in just four weeks.

Following the procedure Courtney couldn't even lift up a kettle to make a cup of tea, as doctors had to cut through her core to reach the vital organ.

She said: “From the operation date, I had to stop all rugby, all horse riding – everything active.

“I’ve been doing physio four times a week with [my team] Wakefield Trinity to rebuild my core, because where the incision is they’ve gone straight through all the muscles.

“I couldn’t even lift up a full kettle – I had to put only a tiny amount of water in to make a cup of tea, to be able to lift it.”

While she'll be left with a scar, Courtney's liver fully regenerated to normal size within just four weeks.

Courtney, who was already a regular blood donor, filled out a form and had a ‘one stop appointment’ with the liver donation team at St James’ Hospital in Leeds, who talked her through the operation.

Just months later, on October 8, Courtney was under the knife – just days after her team, Wakefield Trinity, played a semi-final match against the Halifax Panthers.

According to the NHS, because the liver can regenerate itself, both the transplanted section and the remaining section of a live donor's liver can regrow into a normal-sized version of the organ.

While not knowing the baby’s identity, Courtney has been able to send a letter to the baby’s family through the hospital.

She has since been nominated for ‘Inspirational Individual of the Year’ at the Yorkshire Choice Awards.

Now, she hopes others will go ahead with their own donations – which a person can only do once.

Courtney said: “You can do it. You can do it and get your life back.

“When you do a kidney donation you have the potential of only being left with one other kidney and if that packs in you’ve got to wait for a transplant.

“With your liver, it’s a very minimal risk of the other part of your liver not working.

"There’s a slight risk of when you have the operation that the other part won’t work, but they go through all the tests and procedures to make sure they leave you with the right amount.

“The risk of that happening is a lot lower.

“People think if you donate your liver you then need a liver, but it’s not the case.

“It regrows, it goes back to normal - mine did in just four weeks.”