Coroner Warns: Donor Shortage Threatens Lives

A critical national shortage of donor livers has been identified as a significant risk to patients awaiting transplants, following the tragic death of 14-year-old Maisie Almond. Maisie, who was previously healthy, developed acute liver failure and was placed on a super urgent transplant list in September 2024. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to complications including brain swelling and multi-organ failure.

Despite being placed on the waiting list on September 27, 2024, a suitable donor liver did not become available until October 1, 2024. By this time, her prognosis was too poor for a transplant to be successful. Assistant Coroner Adrian Farrow concluded that Maisie died from cerebral edema and multi-organ failure during an inquest that concluded on February 26, 2026.

The coroner warned that a third reduction in donor livers, coupled with a shift away from utilizing cardiac death donor livers, has dramatically increased waiting times from 48 hours to up to a week. This delay poses a clear risk of preventable deaths, as fewer donor organs are available for those in urgent need.