³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A 19-year-old student's transplant operation has been postponed for a second time due to the pandemic.

Mali Elwy, from Conwy Valley, was due to receive a kidney from her brother Morgan last week, after the first procedure was cancelled in August.

"They thought it would be too much of a risk for us to go in," she said.

Hospital medics in Liverpool have told her they will reassess her situation in six weeks. The area faces restrictions due to the number of Covid-19 cases.

"It was cancelled three days before because of the situation with the coronavirus," said Mali, who lives with chronic renal failure after her right kidney had post-operational failure following cancer treatment as a child.

"We were both absolutely gutted, and everyone around us."

She is currently taking a year out from Bangor University to be able to recover from the operation at home at Tan-y-Fron.

But, with delays to the transplant, she is worried about the recovery time affecting her return to university next year.

The procedure had been due to take place at Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Liverpool City Region has been placed under the tightest restrictions - "tier three" - in England due to the number of cases of coronavirus.

Mali said: "Obviously we understood why it's been cancelled because we've been seeing how bad it's been and how many cases they have been having there.

"We've got to the point again where they're cancelling major operations with treatment being refused because it's more of a risk to be in the hospital."

Medical Director of Liverpool University Hospitals Dr Tristan Cope said: "Every decision about a patient's care is made with their clinicians, based on that individual's circumstances and best interests.

"Undergoing a transplant during a period of pandemic can present more risks than benefits, which is why clinicians, patients and their relatives have to take difficult decisions about the best course of action."