I live every day knowing I was given a second chance at life by a perfect stranger

This month, it will be five years since I was given a new heart. My battle to be alive today has not been easy, but the kindness and generosity of the donor and their family encourages me to carry on and be the best that I can be, and I will be forever grateful to them

21 weeks into my life, before I had left the security of my mother’s womb, I was diagnosed with serious congenital heart disease. From that moment, my parents knew that my life would be different to that of most children. Seconds after birth I was rushed away from my mum and dad - this would be the first time of many.

I underwent two heart surgeries in my early life, one of which was a bypass when I was just two. Other than this I was a healthy, happy child, who played like any other kid. I rode my bike, took part in sports, sung, danced and was a keen swimmer.

When I reached the age of ten, everyday tasks like walking to the shops or running up and down the stairs became harder and harder. My heart began to deteriorate to the point that I eventually had to stop doing the things I loved. I was forced to sit on the sidelines, becoming weaker and weaker as my friends only became stronger as they grew. It was decided that surgery was my only option.

On the 12th of April 2010, the dreaded day came. A leading surgeon had been flown in from America to perform a new kind of heart surgery. The operation had never been done on a child my age or size before. It was a massive risk. Whisked away from my parents once again, it was the last time they would see me well with my original heart. The twelve hour operation went well but my weak heart simply couldn't cope with the change. After a second surgery two days later, I went into complete heart failure.

Fighting for my life in intensive care, I spent four months on life support, when it was decided that the only way I was going to survive was if I were to receive a new heart. Two days after my eleventh birthday in August, I was transferred to Newcastle by ambulance, where I would begin my wait on the transplant list.

Desperately ill in intensive care, my family prepared themselves for the possibility that a suitable heart would not be found in time to save me.

Late one evening in September, my parents received the call. A potential donor heart had been found. Rushing to the hospital, they tried not to raise their hopes. This had happened before without success. Little did they know, this was the one. In the early hours of the next morning, I was given the gift of life.

It wasn't a smooth road. It was touch and go for the next three months, but I pulled through. It would take me the next five years to fully recover due to kidney failure and a later transplant (received from my mum), nerve damage of the feet which took away my ability to walk, and the subsequent diagnosis of brain and spinal tumors.

People often take life for granted, but I live every day knowing that I have been given a second chance at life by a perfect stranger. The kindness and generosity of the donor and their family astounds me today and always will. They thought of others when one would expect them to think only of themselves.

Last year Cecilia and her friends Hannah Phillips and Katie Miller raised £13,000 for charity by shaving their heads. They also donated their hair to The Little Princess Trust, which makes wigs for children who lose their hair during cancer treatment

My battle to be alive today has not been easy. I have reached the darkest of moments and have had to climb the steepest of hills. But the thought that someone donated their heart to save me encourages me to carry on and be the best that I can be. To live on in memory of that person; my guardian angel.

I often miss the Cecilia I used to be before I entered hospital on the 12th of April. I wonder why I had to go through all that I have. It’s hard to deal with my situation, hard to understand and accept the changes that I have undergone. I’m tired from my battle and want to live life as a normal teenager. The thought of giving up has often crossed my mind, however, I believe that everything happens for a reason and as I grow up, I accept my situation more and more.

I’m walking now, my new heart and kidney are healthy and I’ve never been so happy. This September, it will be five years since I received my gift. Life is fantastic and I will be forever grateful to my donor and their family. They've allowed me to live my life, to have fun, and to grow up.

A shortage of organ donors means three people a day in the UK die in need of a transplant. Cecilia is supporting NHS Blood and Transplant’s Say Yes I Donate campaign www.organdonation.nhs.uk

Read more of Cecilia’s journey at: www.cecilia-joy.blogspot.com