Ashton, aged three, is first child in Britain fitted with battery-powered pump to help his failing heart

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Ashton Hutcheson, three, is the second child in the world to use the device
HeartWare pump will keep him alive until an organ becomes available
His mother Shanna, 22, from Aberdeen, said the operation was his last hope
The child was diagnosed with a rare condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy

PUBLISHED: 15:39 EST, 16 March 2014 | UPDATED: 15:43 EST, 16 March 2014

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A three-year-old has become the first child in Britain to have a battery-powered pump to help his
failing heart.

Ashton Hutcheson, three, was fitted with the HeartWare device to keep him alive until an organ becomes available for transplant.

According to his mother Shanna, 22, from Aberdeen, the operation was his last hope.

Fighting: Ashton Hutcheson, three, was fitted with the device to keep him alive until an organ becomes available for transplant

Ashton is the second child in the world to use the device which is plugged in at home or in hospital
and is powered by a battery pack when he is out.

The child was diagnosed with a rare condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy, which usually only
affects adults.

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'He is still a very sick little boy, but it's hoped the pump will keep him alive until a heart becomes
available for transplant,' said Shanna.

For the first time since being admitted to Newcastle's Freeman Hospital on January 20, Ashton left the grounds to go to the park powered by his batteries.

Mother Shanna kissed her son who was admitted to hospital with a rare condition which usually only affects adults

It was a moment his mother thought she'd never again see.

'Ashton loved it,' she said.

'He was in his wheelchair but was giggling and laughing. He was so chuffed with feeding the ducks.

'I never thought I'd get my little boy back - I really thought he would die.

Poorly: Ashton is the second child in the world to use the device

'Before he had the surgery, doctors told me I had two choices - take him home to die peacefully or put him through an operation where there was a strong chance he might not survive anyway. I told them to do whatever it took to save him.'

Shanna, who says Ashton's fight for a normal life will only begin when he has a heart transplant, is
appealing to people to sign up for organ donation.

Figures released by NHS England show that 2013 saw the highest number of people south of the border donating organs after death and the highest number of transplants.

Donations in Scotland are also at an all-time high with a 31 per cent increase in the number of
donors.

However, single mother Shanna says more needs to be done and too many people die waiting for organs.

'Many of my friends and even strangers who have heard about Ashton have signed up for organ donation,' she said.

'But everyone who is able to needs to do it. It's sad when someone dies, but one person's organs can save several other lives.'

Ashton became ill in October last year.

The Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital diagnosed an enlarged liver caused by a heart problem.

They finally diagnosed the rare condition Dilated Cardiomyopathy, which usually only affects adults.

'They told me he could die,' said Shanna.

'His heart was not pumping, it was twitching. His organs were failing. I remember at that point just
screaming out "he is going to die" and falling to the ground. It was too much to take in.'

Holding on: Ashton Hutcheson can now visit the park thanks to the battery-powered pump

Loving: Ashton Hutcheson, three, with his mother Shanna who is hoping her son can pull through

Ashton was taken by air ambulance to Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital where doctors gave him a one in three chance of survival.

Ashton became so poorly that doctors told Shanna he only had 24 hours to live.

'I had him so young and I couldn't imagine what life would be like with a baby.

'Now I was losing him, I couldn't picture my life without him. But I wasn't allowed to hold him in my arms and cuddle him - I could have given him an infection.

Life-saving: Ashton Hutcheson, three, was fitted with the HeartWare device (pictured) to keep him alive

The HeartWare Ventricular Assist System is designed to assist a weakened or poorly functioning left ventricle

'I just had to watch while he slipped away. I cried and I screamed. That's when they told me I could
take him home to die or chance the operation.'

Ashton underwent the complex eight-hour surgery at the end of January.

Shanna is now living for the day her son will receive a new heart. Until then, she is staying
with him at the hospital.

THE GADGET THAT GAVE ASHTON A SECOND CHANCE TO LIVE

HeartWare is a small pump which attaches directly to the heart.

The HeartWare Ventricular Assist System is designed to assist a weakened or poorly functioning left
ventricle.

It is used as a stop-gap for transplant patients who are at risk of death from heart failure.

The device involves general anaesthetic, the opening up of the breast bone, a ventilator to help the patient breathe and a cardiopulmonary bypass - a technique which takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery.

Once the HeartWare device is successfully implanted, a thin, flexible cable then exits the skin and a
small controller and power pack (rechargeable batteries) run the pump.

That in turn helps the heart to keep blood flowing around the body.

It is used as a stop-gap for transplant patients who are at risk of death from heart failure

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Getsomenuts, UK, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago

Good luck little man x

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Pravda, Atlantis, United Kingdom, 6 hours ago

Isn't technology truly amazing sometimes...

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Poppy, Londonderry, 6 hours ago

good wishes to the wee lad. Dilated cardiomyopathy is NOT rare . Many people are affected thankfully no all as severe as this. My husband and both adult kids have the condition with i child being more severely affected and the other and their father having a secondry heart defect , All are able to work

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AS, Leeds, 7 hours ago

It's so hard because for this child to live, another has to die. Obviously I would never wish the latter on anyone, but if it does happen, I hope this wonderful little man can go on and live a full and happy life.