Carol Beckett is a 38 year old mother from Manchester. She was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer in September 2007 and received part of her brother's liver in a Living Donor Liver Transplant in January 2008.
My story started on an ordinary day in September 2007. I had lost a lot of weight and innately felt that something 'was wrong'. But when I went to see my GP for the results of a routine ultrasound, the last thing I expected to here were the words 'suspected cancer'. What followed were a series of urgent tests and appointments with liver specialists at Manchester Royal Infirmary.
At first it was thought I had fibromella hepatoma — a fast growing cancer which in my case would have meant that I was not eligible for a liver transplant. But, thankfully, it was found that I had a rare slowing growing cancer known as neuro endocrine. I was seen and accepted onto the liver transplant waiting list at St James Hospital in Leeds in November 2007, and at that time the concept of living donor transplant was explained.
I was told that it could take up to 1 year for me to obtain a liver through the NHS organ donor register, and therefore St James had set up a living donor programme, in which a friend or relative could donate part of their liver. The donor liver would grow back to its original size within a matter of months, as would the liver the recipient received.
Due to the desperate shortage of organs in the UK, and with the worry that my cancer could spread to other organs at any time, family members came forward to offer their suitability to become a living donor. After many weeks of tests, my brother was found to be the most suitable, and the operation went ahead on 29th January.
What my brother did for me is something so amazing that words cannot express what I feel. Not only did he save my life, but by becoming a living donor, he saved another life by making it possible for a liver from organ donor scheme to be used for another person who was on the waiting list instead of myself.
Through my experiences, I have met many wonderful people who have had liver transplants, who otherwise would not be here today were it not for the organ donor scheme. That is why I would appeal to everyone to register as an organ donor, and to notify your family of your wishes should something happen to you.
People are dying every day waiting for an organ that doesn't appear for them in time. Please consider that that person could be your mother, sister, brother or grandfather. What would you want if it were them? You would want them to live.
