A GIRL who made worldwide news after refusing to have a heart transplant has just graduated with a degree.

Hannah Jones, now 22, lived in Marden with her family in 2007 when she decided to refuse life-saving surgery to repair heart damage, which had been caused by medication she had been given to kill off an infection while fighting leukaemia.

She won a court battle against doctors which meant she could refuse a transplant as she did not want to go through any further trauma.

But eight months later she changed her mind and went through a successful transplant.

She has just graduated with a degree in English with Drama from Aberystwyth University.

Her mum, Kirsty Jones, said: "I am such a proud mum and want to thank the whole of Herefordshire and Great Ormond Street Hospital and Hereford County Hospital- our second home."

Kirsty said it took Hannah about two years to feel better again after having the transplant and she sometimes has to go back into hospital.

Two years ago at Christmas she was in intensive care for two weeks as she had heart failure from a chest infection.

Kirsty said: "It is a bit like being an old woman. If you get a cold you get a chest infection."

But Hannah is otherwise doing well, and has a boyfriend who lives in Cardiff.

In September Hannah is starting at Bath Spa University to complete a year's training to be a primary school teacher.

They hope that the family of the donor heart knows that it was Hannah who their relative helped.

Kirsty said: "This is something huge that was done for us. Now Hannah can teach and inspire little children and show others that things are possible post-transplant."

Hannah said: "I can't quite believe how long it was ago. At the time it happened it opened my eyes up to another world- the fact I was making an impact from America to New Zealand.

"At the time it was right for me to do it. I wasn't going to be pushed into making that decision."

Kirsty has separated from Hannah's dad and three years ago they moved from Herefordshire to New Quay in the west of Wales.

Hannah now wants to help other people and has decided to spearhead a campaign to stop New Quay's all weather lifeboat being downgraded to an inshore lifeboat, which she said will mean there will be 73 miles of uncovered sea.

Kirsty's partner, Daniel Potter, has been coxswain there for 24 years.

Kirsty said: "Hannah is hoping to help save lives at sea, having had her own saved she knows the importance more than most."