New liver gives tot hope

Elliott Gulliver was in a critical condition when the Starship National Air Ambulance flew her from Invercargill to the children's hospital in Auckland.

Family and friends commented on what beautiful skin Elliott Gulliver had when she was born - unaware of the jaundice her olive skin was masking.

Elliott was 5 weeks old when she was diagnosed with the liver disease biliary atresia that led to a liver transplant when she was just 7 months old.

Rebekah Gulliver took her daughter to a GP when she became concerned her daughter's stool was very pale. The diagnosis came as a huge shock to the first-time mother.

A year on since the surgery, Mrs Gulliver says her daughter is not yet out of the woods.

Mrs Gulliver, husband Fraser and 20-month-old Elliott treat the Starship children's hospital as their second home - at the other end of the country from their home in Gore.

Trips to the Starship have been so frequent, Mrs Gulliver has lost count. But she will always remember the trip when she had to say goodbye to her daughter and husband as they boarded an emergency flight from Invercargill bound for Auckland.

Elliott was only a few months old and her condition was so critical she was flown to the Starship by the Starship National Air Ambulance.

"We're very grateful to the team that got her up there and that that service is available," Mrs Gulliver said.

Elliott received her new liver six weeks later.

The air ambulance service has just received a $222,354 boost from the sales of the Starship Christmas Album 2013. Universal Music and project management firm Ellis Grant presented the cheque to the Starship Foundation.