A 13-year-old girl who died of a brain aneurysm has helped eight people through organ donation - the highest number on record.

Jemima Layzell, from Horton in Somerset, collapsed during party preparations for her mother's 38th birthday in March 2012. She died four days later.

The teenager donated her heart, small bowel, pancreas, kidneys, lungs, and liver to eight recipients, including five children, across the UK.

Her parents said Jemima would have been "very proud of her legacy".

Her mother, Sophy Layzell, said: "We knew Jemima was willing to be a donor following a conversation about it a couple of weeks before her unexpected death.


"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.

Image: Jemima (right) pictured with her sister Amelia

"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."

She added: "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."

According to NHS Blood and Transplant, 457 people died waiting for a transplant last year, including 14 children.

'Tell your family' you want to be a donor

There are currently 6,414 people on the transplant waiting list, including 176 children.

Anthony Clarkson, NHS Blood and Transplant's assistant director of organ donation and transplantation, said: "Every donor is special and Jemima's unique story shows the extraordinary difference a few words can make.

"Hundreds of people are still dying unnecessarily waiting for a transplant because too many families say no to organ donation.

"Please tell your family you want to donate, and if you are unsure, ask yourself: if you needed a transplant would you accept one? If so, shouldn't you be prepared to donate?"