A Surrey teenager may have to spend up to nine months in a hospital bed over 300 miles from home - while waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant.

Lila Judge, 19, was born with a congenital heart condition and has had many surgeries throughout her life - the first when she was only a day old.

Lila Judge, with her friend Hannah. A teenager may have to spend up to NINE months in a hospital bed over 300 miles from home - while waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant. Lila Judge, 19, was born with a congenital heart condition and has had many surgeries throughout her life - the first when she was only a day old. The estate agent from Surrey has been resuscitated twice throughout her life and has had a pacemaker fitted. In December 2023 Lila became more unwell and was diagnosed with heart failure, being placed on a routine list for a heart transplant.
Lila Judge, with her friend Hannah. (Hannah Maybury / SWNS)

The estate agent from Surrey has been resuscitated twice throughout her life and has had a pacemaker fitted.

In December 2023 Lila became more unwell and was diagnosed with heart failure, being placed on a routine list for a heart transplant.

However, on December 28, 2024 things took a turn for the worse after Lila suffered from a chest infection which led to her heart overworking and causing fluid in her lungs.

She was stabilised at Brompton Hospital in London with a life saving medication called Milrinone - but this can only be administered in hospitals.

Lila Judge, with her mother Gemma. A teenager may have to spend up to NINE months in a hospital bed over 300 miles from home - while waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant. Lila Judge, 19, was born with a congenital heart condition and has had many surgeries throughout her life - the first when she was only a day old. The estate agent from Surrey has been resuscitated twice throughout her life and has had a pacemaker fitted. In December 2023 Lila became more unwell and was diagnosed with heart failure, being placed on a routine list for a heart transplant.
Lila Judge, with her mother Gemma. (Hannah Maybury / SWNS)

After two days she was transferred to Newcastle Freeman Hospital as they are one of the only hospitals which specialise in congenital transplants.

The teenager has now been moved to the urgent transplant list, but doctors say this could take up to nine months - with Lila having to stay in the Newcastle hospital for the entire wait time.

Her mum, Gemma Judge, 39, says it has been hard on the family, as in order to stay with their daughter they must pay for a hotel room every night- 312 miles from their house.

The mum-of-three said: “She has to be in hospital the whole time as she is on medications only they can administer. Every time they reduce the dose her lungs fill with fluid which causes her not to be able to breathe, coughing up blood, and her heart to race.

Lila Judge, when she was younger. A teenager may have to spend up to NINE months in a hospital bed over 300 miles from home - while waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant. Lila Judge, 19, was born with a congenital heart condition and has had many surgeries throughout her life - the first when she was only a day old. The estate agent from Surrey has been resuscitated twice throughout her life and has had a pacemaker fitted. In December 2023 Lila became more unwell and was diagnosed with heart failure, being placed on a routine list for a heart transplant.
Lila Judge, when she was younger. (Hannah Maybury / SWNS)

“It has been really tough. We have been bringing food in for Lila but there are no cooking facilities here or at our hotel so we can’t make homemade meals for her.

“We need to raise as much money as possible so that we can stay in the hotel and not have to go home.

“It has been so hard for all of us, and it isn’t going to get easier.”

At the moment, Gemma says her daughter luckily has a private room, but it is likely that she will have to be moved to a ward soon.

The family have been staying in a nearby hotel with no cooking facilities, meaning they are constantly having to fork out for takeaways.

Staying with Lila has not been cheap, with the hotel costing £38 a night with a £10 supplement on Fridays and a £20 supplement on Saturdays and travel back to their home costing around £88 per person.

Lila Judge, when she was younger. A teenager may have to spend up to NINE months in a hospital bed over 300 miles from home - while waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant. Lila Judge, 19, was born with a congenital heart condition and has had many surgeries throughout her life - the first when she was only a day old. The estate agent from Surrey has been resuscitated twice throughout her life and has had a pacemaker fitted. In December 2023 Lila became more unwell and was diagnosed with heart failure, being placed on a routine list for a heart transplant.
Lila Judge, when she was younger. (Hannah Maybury / SWNS)

With neither of Lila’s parents having been able to work since she fell ill last year, these costs have taken a big strain on the family’s finances.

Lila’s best friend Hannah Maybury, 23, has started a GoFundMe page to try and raise money to help the family with all the associated hotel and travel expenses.

The performing arts teacher said: “As long as I have known Lila she has always put a smile on my face.

“She is always full of energy, and always gets you out of the dumps if you are feeling down. She is one of the most supportive people I have had in my life.

“She likes to be spontaneous and go out and have fun. She just wants to live a normal 19 year old’s life but she is just sat in a hospital bed not knowing when the end is - while everyone else is getting on with their lives.

“She is up in Newcastle away from her family and friends while everyone else is living a somewhat normal life back home.

“As she walks into a room, she always brightens it. There is never a dull moment with her.”

Hannah says the pair became close in the summer of last year after meeting through a mutual friend.

Since then she has spent lots of time with Lila and her family- visiting her in the hospital several times.

On why she set the page up, Hannah said: “I know financially how much of a struggle it is to get to Newcastle and back again. Having spent a lot of time with Lila’s family they are just the most loving and caring people.

“I get on with every single one of them as if they are my own family, and I wanted to be able to be there and support them in such a difficult time.”

Lila Judge, with her friend Hannah. A teenager may have to spend up to NINE months in a hospital bed over 300 miles from home - while waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant. Lila Judge, 19, was born with a congenital heart condition and has had many surgeries throughout her life - the first when she was only a day old. The estate agent from Surrey has been resuscitated twice throughout her life and has had a pacemaker fitted. In December 2023 Lila became more unwell and was diagnosed with heart failure, being placed on a routine list for a heart transplant.
Lila Judge, with her friend Hannah. (Hannah Maybury / SWNS)

So far, the page has raised more than £3,000 which Gemma says has been a real relief.

She added: “The money has really put Lila at ease, it means a few more weeks where we don’t have to worry about whether we can be there for her. It is just so expensive.

“The problem is we don't know when this journey will end."

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