Seriously ill girl who won the right to die has changed her mind and wants transplant

A seriously ill teenager who fought and won a court case against doctors trying to make her have a heart transplant has changed her mind and now wants the operation. Hannah Jones said she had had enough of hospitals after treatment for leukaemia left her cured of cancer but with a severely damaged heart.

She successfully won a court battle against doctors giving her the right to refuse a transplant and to die in dignity. But eight months later Hannah has changed her mind and put herself back on the transplant list after her condition deteriorated.

The "difficult" decision came after she suffered partial kidney failure five days after her 14th birthday on July 12. Hannah was taken to hospital but cannot receive dialysis because her heart – which is only beating on one side – is too weak to cope with the treatment.

Unfortunate juxtaposition from the Daily Telegraph.

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It meant Hannah had no option but to go back on the transplant list or risk total kidney failure and certain death. Speaking from her hospital bed, Hannah said: "I fell ill last Sunday, but I just thought I'd overdone it on my birthday.

"But actually, it turned out it was my kidneys. The right side of my heart isn't beating at all, and after lots of tests I realised there were more benefits to having a new heart to staying like I was." Hannah now believes that having a new heart would improve her quality of life.

She said: "If I had a new heart, I'd be on less tablets than I am at the moment. I take 27, but afterwards it would only be about 12. I know I decided I definitely didn't want this, but everyone's entitled to change their mind."