A newborn baby with a life-threatening liver condition has been saved after undergoing a transplant from her mother's twin sister. Star Reader was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia within days of being born in Barnsley, West Yorkshire. After undergoing an operation to have her bile ducts unblocked, her parents, Jade Reader and Matthew Bygrave, were told the infant would need a liver transplant in order to survive. Jade Reader (left) said she was 'overcome with emotion' when her twin sister Shanell (right) gave up part of her liver to save niece Star . With neither parent a suitable match, her maternal aunt Shanell Reader offered part of her organ, and has since saved her niece's life. Star's parents feared she was unwell after noticing her skin turning a yellowy tinge shortly after birth. While jaundice is common among babies, the colour did not leave her little body for weeks, prompting doctors to run tests on her liver. 'We didn’t think it was anything serious at first. Matthew had jaundice when he was a baby and he just had to go back into hospital and go under a lamp,' said Miss Reader, 24. Doctors discovered the baby's bile ducts were blocked, a condition that can prove fatal if untreated. Following an unsuccessful attempt to unclog them, a liver transplant was the family's only option. Within days of being born, Star's parents knew something was wrong when she her skin turned a yellowy tinge . While the baby's mother was not a suitable match, her twin sister proved an ideal candidate. They are pictured as children . 'We were utterly shocked when we were told what Star had. We had never thought it was anything like that. ‘When we knew that it could be life-threatening it was devastating. She was only a few weeks old and yet we may lose her,' said her mother. Biliary atresia affects about 1 in 16,000 babies at birth. In this condition, bile ducts are either blocked or absent. The cause of the condition is not clear and may vary. One of the most common early symptoms is jaundice (a yellow appearance of the skin or whites of the eyes) and pale stools. If untreated the condition can lead to liver failure and death. The most common treatments for Biliary Atresia is the Kasai procedure (surgery that allows bile to drain directly into the bowel). Both parents volunteered for the surgery but were told neither was a good enough candidate for a partial liver transplant. Miss Reader's twin sister Shanell was tested and told that she would give the baby the best chance of survival. 'She said without any hesitation that she would do it and that Star could have a piece of her liver. 'I was so overcome with emotion. She's my twin sister and if it was the other way round, I'd have done it to save her daughter too,' added Miss Reader. Star underwent the operation in November and, after spending six weeks in hospital. returned home where she has since made a good recovery. ‘Star has to have blood tests and liver function tests every week and she will be on anti rejection medication for the rest of her life. ‘But now she has been given the chance to live a normal life - and it’s all thanks to my twin sister. I can’t thank her enough,' her other added. Speaking of the decision, Shanell said: 'I didn’t hesitate to step forward to save Star. She’s my niece and I would do anything to help her.’ Since the operation in November baby Star has made a good recovery as has her aunt Shanell who said she did not hesitate when confronted with the choice of giving up part of her liver .
Star Reader was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia within days of being born . The baby's bile ducts were blocked - a condition which can prove fatal . Neither of her parents were suitable candidates for partial liver transplant . Her maternal aunt Shanell was the best chance she had at survival . Star underwent operation in Leeds in November and has since recovered .