Red Sky Foundation and Fujifilm have collaborated to shine a light on the talented Photographer and Masters Student, Debbie Todd, to raise awareness and start discussions about child organ donation and organ transplant.
Coinciding with Organ Donation Week, which runs typically from the third week in September, The Call explores the subject of organ donation through both the children waiting and children who are post-transplant and not forgetting the ones who never got the call.
There is currently more than 200 children in the UK on the transplant waiting list.
Among those included in the exhibition are Beatrix Archbold, two, from Sunderland, who recently underwent a 10-hour heart transplant. Her fight for life and a meeting with Debbie inspired the exhibition.
Beatrix’s dad Terry said: “Organ Donation, particularly in children has historically been an unspoken, taboo subject. Across the UK over 240 children wait for a life-saving transplant, they wait for years, living in hospital for the gift of life, for a chance at life.
“For too many that gift does not arrive in time. The Call is a fantastic, taboo shattering project that highlights the plight of those waiting. It sets seeds of thought about organ donation that could ripple outwards to save many lives.
Sergio Petrucci, our Founder, said: “What an amazing venue to exhibit the work of leading photographer Debbie Todd, a lady we’ve supported as she’s travelled the UK’s leading transplant wards to help capture the most poignant images which we have brought together in this thought-provoking exhibition.
The stories and images below relate to the children in the images and their families, who have been deeply affected by organ failure, organ transplant and child loss.
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You can follow Debbie Todd here: @debbietoddphotographer
GRACE
Grace was the first patient in the UK to be fitted with a mobile heart to allow her to leave the ward (but not the hospital).
She spent more than two years living in hospital before she received the gift of a heart, after her family moved from their home in the west midlands to Cramlington so they could all be closer.
LOUIS
Louis has been in hospital since he was eight weeks old and has been on the transplant list since august 2022.
He has had several cardiac arrests and will not be reunited with his older brother and sister at home, until he has a heart transplant.
SOPHIE
Sophie is no stranger to heart surgery and is currently waiting at home for a bilateral lung transplant and more surgery on her heart.
She is unable to play sports and has to use a wheelchair in public as she can’t walk very far.
JOE
Joe was born with Barth Syndrome which caused dilated cardiomyopathy, he spent 251 days attached to a Berlin Heart to keep him alive.
He was transplanted at three years old which has enabled him return home to his family with regular check-ups on his heart.
JAYDEN-SEAN
Jayden-Sean has Danon Disease and is currently living at home with his family whilst he is on the urgent transplant list, as he needs a heart transplant.
He has to always be 20 minutes away from the hospital and ready to be called in for surgery at any time. He has had three unsuccessful calls so far.
ZACHARY
Zachary is under two years old and was born with his bowel outside of his body. He has liver and intestinal failure and is waitng in hospital for two transplants.
Z now has a little brother at home but spends each night in hospital while his young family are separated.
LOLA-ROSE
Lola-Rose was urgently listed with acute liver failure, which was secondary to Adenovirus, after having no previous medical history.
She was urgently listed for five days before it was confirmed that her Dad could be a living donor and she has reached milestones her parents thought were not going to be possible.
ARSALA
Arsala is supported by a VAD machine that supports her heart. while she waits in hospital for a transplant.
Her parents and baby sister are living away from home on the hospital grounds so that they can spend most of their days on the ward as a family.
BETH
Beth was born with a heart condition. She isn’t currently listed, but will inevitably be in the near future.
She lives at home with her family and little brother. She doesn’t like to talk about her heart failure and is self-conscious about all of her scars.
PHOEBE
Phoebe had an unsuccessful liver transplant from a deceased donor, before receiving a successful transplant from a living donor.
She is now back home living with her family and doing well.
Facebook: phoebe’s biliary atresia and liver transplant journey
FREDDIE
Freddie was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy at one years old and has been in hospital for over ten months.
He has been on the urgent heart transplant list for six months while his family juggle commitments to ensure they can all spend time together.
EVIE
Evie has been living in hospital for over 7 months waiting for a heart transplant. She is attached to a machine, that supports her heart, 24 hours a day.
Her parents take it in turns to stay with her at hospital and look after their son at home, while still trying to spend days together as a family.
TEDDY
Teddy’s liver started to fail as soon as he was born and he was listed at three weeks old. His family rented a property to be near to him in hospital.
Teddy received his call at 10 weeks old and is now living back home with his parents and doting big brother.
BEATRIX
Beatrix had her dream come true this year and recieved a new heart.
She had spent over a year, including her second birthday, on a hospital ward where her parents had to leave her each evening. Beatrix’s parents, Terry and Cheryl, have campaigned tirelessly for more awareness of organ donation.
GRACE
Grace is 12 years old and needs a kidney transplant so that she can live a normal life. Her Mum was a living donor for her older sister so cannot be a living donor for Grace.
She is waiting at home but needs to be attached to a dialysis machine for ten hours each night, while she sleeps.
ETHAN
Ethan was born healthy and went into heart failure after an infection. He suffered from several strokes whilst on the transplant list.
After he received his precious gift he was able to move back with his parents into an adapted home with space for his needs.
AVA
Ava is waiting at home with her family. She has surfactant protein C deficiency and needs a double lung transplant.
She has had one unsuccessful call as she had a sickness bug at the time. She is on oxygen 24 hours a day which has to be carried around wherever she goes.
IN LOVING MEMORY
Many children have passed due to organ failure and unsuccessful transplants and many families have made the selfless and important decision to donate their child’s organs at one of great despair, so that another child can live.
These images are just a small dedication to honour those children who are no longer with us and through them we see the importance of child organ donation and transplant.