Woman Told She Might Never Have Children Becomes Pregnant After Life-Saving Transplant

Somerset, England — September 26, 2026

A British woman who received a life-saving liver and kidney transplant as a child is expecting her first baby after doctors once warned that she might never be able to have children.

Keeleigh John, 28, from Bridgwater in Somerset, was diagnosed with chronic renal failure as a child. When she was 12, she underwent a double organ transplant, receiving a new liver and kidneys.

A Future She Never Expected

Keeleigh’s family had been told that having children might not be possible because of her medical history.

But after recovering from four bouts of sepsis earlier this year, Keeleigh discovered she was pregnant on the day she returned home from hospital.

She is now 14 weeks pregnant and said doctors have told her that the baby is developing well.

A Baby Made Possible by a Donor Family

Keeleigh says she would not have the life she has today without the family of the person whose organs were donated to her.

She said the donor’s family made an incredibly difficult decision that gave her the chance to grow up, compete in sport and now become a mother.

“Not only would my life not have been possible, but also now I’m creating a life which also wouldn’t have been possible,” she told the BBC.

Her Mother Never Expected This Moment

Keeleigh’s mother, Tracy John, remembers being told that her daughter might not survive childhood.

She said the family had once been told they would be lucky to see Keeleigh reach the age of eight, and later 12. After the transplant, however, Keeleigh continued to recover and build a life that her family had never imagined.

Now, Tracy is preparing to become a grandmother.

Life Beyond the Transplant

Keeleigh has become an advocate for organ donation and has competed in the British Transplant Games and international transplant competitions.

She has won gold medals in events including shot put, archery and discus. She is also hoping to compete at the 2027 World Transplant Games in Belgium.

She hopes to make that journey with her partner, Sam Longman, and their new baby.

A New Chapter

Keeleigh said she hopes her achievements will make both her own family and her donor’s family proud.

Her pregnancy has given her another reason to celebrate the second chance she received as a child. The baby is expected to arrive in 2027.

Sources

• BBC News — “Woman pregnant years after life-saving transplant” — September 26, 2026.
• BBC Radio Somerset — Interview with Keeleigh John and her family — September 2026.