Transplant girl in touch with donor's family in US

Matisse Reid of Napier is recovering in the US after having her stomach, duodenum, pancreas and small and large bowel transplanted in 2010. Photo / Supplied

A young transplant recipient from Napier has had contact with the American family whose son helped her live.

Matisse Reid, 11, had a stomach, duodenum, pancreas and small and large bowel transplant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2010 and is in recovery mode in the United States.

On an online blog post, Mum Jodee wrote: "The biggest, most amazing thing that has happened recently was receiving a letter from our donor family and a photo of the beautiful boy who gave us so much.

"We have a name and personal details about our little hero and we have been able to communicate to his family how very grateful we are that they chose to donate life."

The two families have exchanged photos and details of Matisse's life "pre- and post-transplant".

Jodee said the difference in her daughter was "very easy to see but very difficult to describe" in words.

"I truly hope seeing her doing so well gives them some peace and sense of pride about their decision. It means a lot to us that they know how grateful we are and that they are always in our thoughts."

Matisse is catching up to her peers in terms of height and weight, and her steady progress continued to "astound her doctors".

"I spoke to one of her surgeons yesterday who told me catch-up is very slow," Jodee said.

"I feel like Matisse is catching up really fast and expected far less from her first year-and-a-half post-transplant."

She and Matisse's father, Wayne, "are making peace with our fears for the future and acknowledging that we have to enjoy today because we truly do not know what tomorrow will bring".

- APN