A boy of six who has had five organs transplanted twice over is hoping for his first Christmas at home.
Jakub Steczkiewicz, who has spent most of his life in hospital with a rare bowel condition, is being fed through a tube as he recovers from a multi-organ transplant – his second in a year.
His dearest wish is to celebrate Christmas with his family at home for the first time ever.
Mum Edyta, 27, said: “Will Jakub’s wish to have a Christmas at home come true? I don’t know.
“It’s something we’d all love, it would be so special but I’m not getting my hopes up.
Keech Hospice / SWNS.com
Brave boy: Edyta Steczkiewicz with her son Jakub
In the six years since Jakub was born, he’s never spent a Christmas at home.
He had his first multi-organ tranplant last year but had to undergo a second lot of surgery this year after his body rejected the first set of new organs.
The brave youngster is currently in hospital being fed through a tube as he recovers from his second five-organ transplant.
His one wish is to be well enough this year to spend Christmas at home with his parents Edyta, 27, and his father, Artur, 38.
Edyta said: “As a mum, it’s hard not to keep thinking Jakub is only alive today because another mother’s child isn’t. It’s something I think about a lot.
Keech Hospice / SWNS.com
Little fighter: Jakub Steczkiewicz, who has already had two, five organ transplants at the age of 6
“As much as I hope we get our first family Christmas at home, I’m just so grateful to even have Jakub this Christmas.”
Jakub suffers from Hirschprung’s Disease, a rare bowel disorder whose sufferes have nerves of their intestines missing.
He was first listed for a multi-organ transplant aged just three years old and donors were finally found in September last year.
But just months after the operation the youngster was later told his body was rejecting all of the new organs.
Jakub was in and out of hospital until his second five organ transplant operation took place in August.
Keech Hospice / SWNS.com
Christmas dreams: Santa with Jakub Steczkiewicz, who has had five organ transplants
Edyta added: “We were so scared and had such mixed emotions about putting our little boy through the same multi organ transplant operation again.
“What was the right thing to do? But when Jakub said, ‘I just want to be alive,’ he made the decision for us.”
Edyta backs the Mirror’s Change the Law for Life campaign, which calls for England to follow Wales by introducing opt-out organ donation .
She said: “I think the Welsh law is a good thing because you can save somebody’s life.
“It’s such a mix of emotions, I’ve never been on the other side but I imagine it’s a very difficult decision to make.
Keech Hospice / SWNS.com
Brave boy: Santa with Jakub Steczkiewicz
“Let’s be honest, without the transplant Jakub wouldn’t be alive.
“If you think, just one donor can sometimes save five lives and you don’t need the organs after you’ve died.”
Under the Welsh system every adult is assumed to have given consent for their organs to be used unless they have specifically opted out.
If the scheme was rolled out across Britain thousands of lives could be saved.
Sign our petition at mirror.co.uk/donor
To find out more about donating go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.
Mum’s moving Facebook updates
“We know it’s very early days post transplant and we have long way to go and we know it will be hard but we’re very grateful for the gift of life and we’re always thinking about our donor’s family who made that decision in such a hard time for them.
“Organ donation makes a difference.
We’ve seen pictures of Jakub’s old organs and it’s so scary.
“I’ll never forget this view but it just shows how unwell Jakub was and it’s incredible how well his little body coped with everything inside him.
We know we made right decision [for a transplant] but we also know that without another family who made the decision about donating organs it won’t be possible to see Jakub getting better.
Let’s hope this Christmas we can stay at home for first time ever since Jakub was born.”
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