The parents of Britain’s youngest organ donor, Teddy Houlston, have spoken about how they made the difficult decision to donate their son’s kidneys when he died after living for just 100 minutes. Doctors at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, carried out the pioneering surgery three minutes after Teddy Houlston died on April 22, 2014. His kidneys were then used to save an adult’s life in Leeds.

During the 12th week of pregnancy, doctors told Jess Evans that one of her twins had anencephaly, the absence of a major portion of the brain and skull. Evans and her fiance Mike Houlston were told their baby would either be stillborn or die very shortly afterwards. They were offered the option to abort, but thought “even if we had a moment with him, or 10 minutes, or an hour, that time was the most precious thing we would ever experience”. They were determined that their son’s life would be remembered and decided to allow his kidneys and heart valves to be donated so he could save the lives of others.

Evans, 28, said, “Although he wasn’t with us very long, and we brought him into the world knowing there was no hope of a life for him, we are incredibly proud of his heroism.” Houlston, 30, said, “He lived and died a hero. It’s impossible to explain how proud we are of him. We hope Teddy’s story will inspire families who find themselves in the position of losing a child. Knowing part of your loved one is living on in someone else is comforting.”

It is rare for newborns to be considered as donors. Paul Murphy, of NHS Blood and Transplant, said, “Every donation is inspirational; it is a selfless act of heroism. But Teddy’s story is exceptional. He was the youngest organ donor in the UK.”

Earlier this year, doctors at the Imperial College NHS Trust in London revealed that a six-day-old baby girl’s kidneys and liver cells had been given to two separate recipients after her heart stopped beating. At the time, it had been thought she was the youngest organ donor in the UK.