Seven-year-old Brie McCann survives ECMO and heart transplant; back at school and “thriving”

# Case summary

# Medical background and crisis Brie was born with Ebstein's anomaly, a congenital heart condition. While waiting for a transplant, her condition deteriorated rapidly. Clinicians placed her on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), a machine that pumps and oxygenates blood outside the body to allow the heart and lungs to rest. Her parents, Jodie and Gary, were warned she might not recover and were told she had only a 25 percent chance of survival.

Jodie described the period before the transplant as the "worst days" of her life. After two weeks on ECMO and being given just days to live, a suitable donor heart became available. Brie was moved to Great Ormond Street Hospital and received the transplant just days before Christmas of the prior year.

# Recovery and current condition More than nine months after the transplant, Brie is described by her mother as "a better version of Brie." She is back at school full time and appears more confident than before the surgery. Her parents report a striking improvement in her day-to-day energy and participation.

# The donor and wider impact Brie received an adult donor heart. Her family says that donor is believed to have saved nine lives across the UK. Jodie and Gary express deep gratitude toward the donor and the donor's family, crediting organ donation with giving them their daughter back.

# Family message and call to action Jodie, who is a biology teacher, has used Organ Donation Week to share Brie's story publicly. She hopes the family's experience will prompt more conversations about organ donation among relatives and communities. The family points readers to Organ Donation Scotland for registering, amending, or withdrawing donation decisions.

# Why this matters

# Concrete next steps for readers

• If you want to decide or update your organ donation status in Scotland, visit Organ Donation Scotland online.

• If you are seeking more detail on ECMO or paediatric heart transplants, contact NHS services or your local specialist centre for authoritative clinical guidance.

# Closing note Brie's recovery is the immediate outcome of an emergency clinical strategy followed by a transplant and sustained post-operative care. Her parents describe her as thriving and grateful for the donor whose decision resulted in multiple lives saved across the UK.