AFTER defying all odds by becoming the youngest ever recipient of a liver transplant, Stover School pupil Lottie Bryon-Edmond has been made an honorary director of Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust at the age of 11.

She was given the position for her ‘commitment to raising awareness of organ donation and recognising the life-saving and life-changing contributions of organ donors and their families.’

Lottie was born seven weeks premature and was diagnosed with neonatal hemochromatosis – a rare liver condition causing an excess of iron in the body.

‘The surgeon’s hands were bigger than Lottie was when she had the operation,’ said Chris Bryon-Edmond, Lottie’s father, ‘she only weighed 4.1lbs.

‘They’d have turned the machines off in any other hospital, but Professor Kelly, the doctor in charge, she’s our superhero.

‘She decided to push the boundaries and give the transplant a go.

‘The surgeon did a miracle that night.’

On the day of her operation in August 2012, Lottie’s brother Daniel was inspired to sign up to the donor register.

Tragically, Daniel passed away after a car accident soon after, but his decision to donate saved six lives.

Chris said: ‘He was an amazing son, he was very confident and a super good-looking and loveable guy.

‘He adored his sister to bits.

‘He signed the register the day she had her operation and saved the six people’s lives.’

Julie Bryon-Edmond, Lottie’s mother, added: ‘My cousin also passed away at 25 and donated his organs.

‘I don’t know why, but in our family, we’ve been on both sides and that’s a very strange position to be in.’

One of the family’s main messages is to urge people to become organ donors, and to make sure they tell their loved ones their plans.

Chris said: ‘Registering to be on the organ list is a complete no-brainer when you spend as long as we did in hospital.

‘We only waited 15 days, we can’t imagine how awful or frightening it is to wait longer.’

Since then, Lottie has become a girl who is energetic, confident and eager to give back.

When she grows up, she dreams of becoming a chef or a zoo keeper at Chester Zoo.

In becoming an honorary director of Torbay and South Devon’s NHS Trust, Lottie had the opportunity to meet with its chair, Sir Richard Ibbotson, and encourage them in their intentions to build a memorial for organ donors at Torbay Hospital.

She’s now fundraising to help create the memorial, selling apple juice and other products, and organising a dance-a-thon in front of the hospital.

She has already raised £2,465 of her £10,000 target, much of which came from strangers inspired by her story

Sir Richard Ibbotson, Chair of the Trust, said: ‘Last year Lottie shared her story with our Board of Directors and reduced us all to silence (and some of us to tears) by her courage and her compassion for others.

Her wish for a memorial to say thank you to organ donors and their families touched a chord with all of us.

‘I am very proud that today we are making Lottie an honorary director – she epitomises the values that we hold dear and her vision chimes with our own for better health and care for all.

‘In the NHS’s 75th year, it feels particularly fitting that we recognise the contributions and potential of our young people as we build our brighter future together.’

Commenting on the day herself, Lottie said: ‘It was a teeny-weeny bit scary to begin with, but what makes me speak a lot is a little bit of confidence and support from my family.

‘I thought I was in a dream, I didn’t think it was actually happening, thinking I would wake up.

‘I was really proud of myself.

‘I was also thinking of the directors on the board, helping me to do this, which is a really amazing thing to do.'

To donate to the memorial fundraiser, visit: https://gofund.me/3a095b63