Teenager awaiting transplant has to stay in hospital 300 miles from home

'Will be there months'

- Isobel Williams

A YOUNG patient faces a nine-month wait for a life-saving heart transplant in a hospital 312 miles away from her family and friends.

Lila Judge, 19, who is from Surrey, is staying at Newcastle Freeman Hospital as she waits for a donor heart to become available.

But anyone visiting her, including her devoted parents and best friend, faces an £88 train fare each time and a £38-a-night hotel stay, which shoots up by £20 at the weekends.

Her mum Gemma, 39, who has two other children, admits it has been tough on the family.

She added: "Lila has to be in hospital the whole time as she is on medications only they can administer.

"Every time they reduce the dose her lungs fill with fluid which causes her not to be able to breathe, coughing up blood, and her heart to race.

"It has been so hard for all of us, and it isn't going to get easier."

Lila was born with a heart condition and has had many operations during the course of her young life - including one when she was just a day old.

She has had to be resuscitated twice and have a pacemaker fitted.

Infection