As many of you may know my precious Dad has been pretty ill since February 2016 with end stage liver disease. Since then he has battled long and hard to remain with us, and at many times it seemed like it was a battle he may lose. However his fight and determination to not give up stunned everyone around him.

Dad overcame months of being in hospital, which included numerous stints in critical care, to be discharged in January 2017. We were all nervous about bringing Dad home, especially with the obstacle of his feeding tube and keeping his mind toxin free....but we were determined as a family to keep believing. The only end goal for Dad was to get him strong enough to be a candidate for transplant, a new liver, a second chance at life.

On March 16th 2017 my Dad was 60, this was also the day he was placed on the transplant list. On many occasions we never thought as a family we would reach this day to celebrate Dads 60th, let alone to receive this news as the best gift imaginable.

On July 31st 2017, after months of waiting for that all important phone call from the Freeman, it came at 5.30am. A match had been found! We went straight up to hospital with a serene calmness, almost disbelief. Would it be a good enough organ to transplant? Is this a false alarm, like many can be? No, Dad was lucky enough first time to have a suitable donor, a lady that had lost her life and in doing so gave my Dad a second chance at his.

We will forever be eternally grateful to the family who lost their loved one, whoever they may be.

We are also grateful beyond words to ward 11 and the critical care department at the QE hospital for helping Dad recover from his lowest points, allowing the opportunity he was given at the Freeman hospital.

As thanks to both the QE and Freeman hospital Dad wanted to give something back. Now 15 weeks post transplant he is healthy and going from strength to strength. In fact the photo you see above of us as a family was only taken weeks ago. He is not quite up to a half marathon just yet, so his way of giving back was to partake in Movember...pics to follow!!!!

All donations will go the the QE and institute of transplant. If a donation is not possible, please just take a minute to understand this precious organ, what it does, how we can spot the signs of it failing and how we can look after it. https://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/our-work/love-your-liver/

Thanks guys, much love, Em x