CHARLIE Douthwaite was born with just half a heart and miraculously survived being born.
The baby's condition was detected at mother Tracie's 20-week scan, however, following a heart transplant, Charlie will live for Christmas and for a very long time.
Charlie was born weighing in at 6lbs 5oz at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and was the smallest baby in all of the EU waiting for a transplant.
The child was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, whereby the left side of the heart isn't fully developed and thus doesn't work as well as it should.
Speaking to METRO, Charlie's parents Tracie and Steven spoke of how delighted they were at the success of the transplant: "We just wanted to let you all know that Charlie received his heart and has had his transplant.
"It hasn’t quite sunk in that out there somewhere an amazing family gave us that amazing priceless most precious gift that could ever be given, in their darkest time they still thought of someone else."
They praised the donors who made the saving of their child's life a success: "They’re such special people. Thank you just doesn’t seem like a big enough word to say to them.
"They gave our baby boy a second chance at life and for that, we’ll be forever thankful and eternally grateful."
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