Today marks my three year anniversary of my third liver transplant.

September 9th 2015 was an entirely differently day to today. But then I think most of you reading this have probably heard my story far too many times now. So I won’t tell it again.

I will tell you about someone who was a big part of my journey through that last transplant.

Luke and I were neighbours on the ward when I was both waiting for and recovering from the surgery. We shared a transplant anniversary date, shared a wall and shared a lot of laughs in a situation that wasn’t necessarily all that funny. Read More »

 At just two weeks old, I had a volvulus, which is a twisting of the gut and I was rushed to Accident and Emergency.

From then on, I had a lot of complications all throughout my life.

This eventually lead the doctors and nurses at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to make the decision to put me on the transplant waiting list for a new small bowel at the age of nine.

In April 2009 we received a phone call from Birmingham Children’s Hospital that changed my life forever. Read More »

My name is Nicole Mackenzie, 20, from Portsmouth and I received a kidney back in March 2009 from my Dad.

I was first diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease when I was 3 years old which was caused by Renal Artery Stenosis which is the narrowing of arteries that carry blood to both of the kidneys.

Luckily, I didn’t need dialysis, however I was on a restricted diet and throughout the next 8 years I would have routine check-ups every 1-2 months at the Southampton General Hospital. Read More »

June 2018 marked the 15^th anniversary of my liver transplant. Definitely something to celebrate!

I was born without a bile duct, a condition called Biliary Atresia.

Luckily my jaundice was noticed by my health visitor and I was quickly referred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. My parents had no idea that I was so poorly, and it was a huge shock for them to be told that I would need immediate surgery and possibly a liver transplant. Read More »

My story started shortly after I was born, September 1998 my mum had noticed my stomach was swollen and didn’t disappear. For many weeks we were turned away from our GP with antibiotics time after time, until finally enough was enough mum decided to take me to A&E in the hope of getting some answers.

They decided to do an ultrasound scan to see if they could find the cause for the swelling. Mum waited nervously for the results as would any parent, but she had no idea what she was about to be told. Read More »

My name is James Bartlett, I’m 17 years old, 13 years post double organ transplant and this is my story.

I was born on 21^st August 2001, perceived to be a healthy and well boy, however this was not to be the case. In March of 2004, my intestines died and I was taken to Alder Hey Hospital where I spent 4 weeks in the intensive care unit and then was put on another specialist ward for 2 months. Due to my intestines having have died, I was unable to digest any food or absorb fluids meaning I had to be put on a drip which sent TPN (a special feed) straight to my heart. This left me unable to drink or eat orally. Read More »

I was born in Warwickshire in 2002, after 6 days my parents were told that I had kidney failure. The doctor said that I probably had polysistic symptoms, when they were asked would they like to have me transferred to Coventry (where I live) or Birmingham Children’s Hospital, they decided to choose BCH.
A few years past, luckily I didn’t experience dialysis and in 2006 my parents were asked about the potential of a live transplant.
In 2008 my father, gave me one of his kidneys. Read More »