Emma Lee and her husband Drew donated their daughter’s kidneys and liver cells — and a senior NHS figure has called on others to take inspiration.

A senior NHS figure has praised the parents of a baby girl who lived for just 74 minutes for allowing her to become Britain’s youngest ever organ donor — and encouraged more people to consider doing the same.

Emma Lee and her husband Drew were asked if they wanted to end one of their twin pregnancies after scans showed she had a serious, life-limiting condition.

But despite knowing she would only live for a short time after birth, the couple bravely chose to continue the pregnancy so she could help save other lives.

And last week, just over an hour after she and her brother were born, little Hope passed away peacefully in her mother’s arms, and her heartbroken parents agreed to donate her kidneys and liver cells.

Sally Johnson, NHS Blood and Transplant Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation said: “It is exceptionally rare for very young babies to become organ donors.

“Hope’s parents are rightly very proud of their daughter and the gift she has given.

“We are very grateful to Emma and Andrew for making such a courageous decision and offering a chance of life to others at a time of personal loss. Hopefully their decision will continue to bring them comfort.

Angel of Hope: Britain’s youngest organ donor lived for just 74 minutes but made her parents so proud.

“Hope was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition Anencephaly during Emma’s pregnancy.” Transplant surgeons have only recently started to use organs from newborn babies, following experience with slightly older infants.

“To date only 11 babies aged under 60 days old have donated organs in the UK. Hope’s donation has resulted in only the second transplant from a baby in the UK with Anencephaly.

“Losing a baby is incredibly heartbreaking, but we know that many parents want something positive to come from their loss and find comfort in donating their baby’s organs.

“We recognise the benefits that organ and tissue donation bring to both donor families and recipients.

“If a family wants to donate we will support them and try to find a way for them to do so. Even if organ donation is not possible, we can explore tissue donation with a family.

“Across the UK there are around 7,000 people in need of an organ transplant. Organ donation saves lives, but sadly there is still a shortage of donors. In the last 10 years more than 6,000 people have passed away while waiting for the transplant they desperately needed.

“To save more lives it is vital more people consider organ donation.”