THE family of a teenager who has defied the odds battling a rare medical condition are holding a fundraising event for the hospital that saved her life.

Now aged 16, Chloe Goodrum was born with a life-threatening disease and received a kidney transplant from dad Lee as a five-year-old. The Great Yarmouth College student had her other kidney removed at just nine weeks old and suffered strokes during both operations.

Doctors did not expect Chloe to be able to walk or talk, but she has overcome massive obstacles to attend school and study at college.

She had needed nightly dialysis before the transplant and received a national Child of Achievement Award for her courage and determination in coping with her illness.

Dad Lee, 42, had to take six months off his scaffolding work after donating the organ, forcing the family to sell their Yarmouth home.

Since then the family, who now live in Bradwell, have rebuilt their lives and are organising a charity evening for the children’s transplant team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust hospitals in London.

Taking place at the Cliff Hotel in Gorleston next Friday, it has been timed to coincide with Chloe’s 17th birthday and the anniversary of her kidney transplant.

The evening includes a raffle and performance from Everly Brothers tribute act For Everly.

Mum Sharon is looking forward to the evening celebrating Chloe’s strength and determination and work of the medical teams treating her.

She said: “Chloe has mobility problems and learning difficulties but has coped really well over the years. She needs regular blood tests to make sure the kidney is working and that she is on the right medication. There is always the risk she could reject the kidney and will probably need to have another transplant.

“She suffers from a lot of infections and has no immune system; if she catches chicken pox it could kill her or cause brain damage.

“Chloe cannot do a lot of things that other teenagers take for granted but we try not to wrap her up in cotton wool so much now. We still have to go to Guy’s every few weeks and wanted to hold the charity evening to say thank you for all the treatment she has received.”

Chloe has two brothers Daniel and Ashley and a sister Lauren. She visited Florida two years ago where she went swimming with dolphins.

l Tickets for the charity evening, at �3, are available from Sharon on 07928 713388, the Cliff Hotel and Anglian Printers on Deneside, Yarmouth, or on the door from 7.30pm.