13-year-old Jemima Layzell's organs helped save the lives of a record 8 people

A 13-year-old girl, who died of a brain aneurysm in March 2012, has been identified as the person who has helped the most number of people through organ donation in the UK.

Jemima Layzell, who died at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, is the only donor whose solid organs have been transplanted to eight recipients, the NHS Blood and Transplant data shows. A regular donation results in 2.6 transplants.

The teen's heart, small bowel, pancreas, both kidneys and both lungs went to six different people, while her liver was split and transplanted in two others. The organ recipients included five children from different parts of the UK.

Jemima's name was discovered when the staff of NHS Blood and Transplant checked the records of around 35,707 deceased organ donors to find out who had helped the most number of people with their organ donations. The data release coincides with Organ Donation Week that is from 4 to 10 September.

Sudden, tragic end

Jemima, who was from Horton in Somerset, collapsed when her family was preparing for a party to celebrate her mother's 38th birthday and died four days later.

"We knew Jemima was willing to be a donor following a conversation about it a couple of weeks before her unexpected death," the Telegraph quoted Jemima's mother, Sophy Layzell, 43, a drama tutor as saying.

"The conversation was prompted by the death of someone we knew in a crash.

"They were on the register but their organs couldn't be donated because of the circumstances of their death.

"Jemima had never heard of organ donation before and found it a little bit unsettling but totally understood the importance of it.

"We found the decision to donate Jemima's organs hard but we both felt it was right and we knew she was in favour of donation.

"We had no idea Jemima was the only person whose organs were transplanted into eight different people until NHS Blood and Transplant told us.

"Everyone wants their child to be special and unique and this among other things makes us very proud."

Long waiting list

In 2016, around 457 people died waiting for an organ transplant, including 14 children. There are currently 6,414 people including 176 children who are on the waiting list for an organ transplant.

Sophy, her husband Harvey Layzell, and Jemima's 17-year-old sister Amelia now run The Jemima Layzell Trust, to help young people with brain injuries and promote the importance of organ donation.

NHS Blood and Transplant is sharing Jemima's story to help inspire other people to tell their families and people around to donate and help save lives.