Suffolk BFFs have babies with same rare liver condition
Posted February 11th, 2008 by minortopics | via www.dailymail.co.ukWow, is there something in the water in Suffolk? Paging Erin Brockovich! Two lifelong friends, Tara Sturman, 35, and Andrea Cobbold, 33, who live in neighboring Suffolk, UK, villages gave birth a mere weeks apart. And in a bizarre twist of fate, both of their babies were found to have a very rare liver condition that required a transplant. Both women donated a part of their livers for the operation.
Andrea Cobbold said: “When it comes to it all mums would give anything to save their child but there was a chance I could die on the operating theatre so, with an elder daughter, Frances, three; I had a lot to consider.
“It’s a staggering coincidence that Tara had to go through the same ordeal. It’s an emotional time. Having a close friend who knows exactly what you’re going through is an enormous help.”
Andrea’s son Alex, 13 months; and Tara’s daughter India, 10 months; were diagnosed with biliary atresia within weeks of each other.
The condition affects about 50 babies in England and Wales each year and means the child is born without bile ducts outside their liver so bile enters the bloodstream poisoning the liver and causing cirrhosis.