Children’s Health Ireland supports Liver Disease Awareness Month
Hear Niamh’s inspiring story January is Liver Disease Awareness Month, an important month for the 500 babies, children and young people who attend Children’s Health Ireland for the treatment of issues with their liver.
Jan. 23, 2024
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January is Liver Disease Awareness Month, an important month for the 500 babies, children and young people who attend Children’s Health Ireland for the treatment of issues with their liver.
The liver is a fascinating organ and is an amazing multi-tasker – it has over 500 vital jobs to do to keep you alive. However, many different liver diseases can affect children and young people, and the signs and symptoms can vary greatly between individuals.
Sonya Grandison is Hepatology Clinical Nurse Specialist in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin. Sonya says:
““No two liver patients are the same; everyone will have a different journey and treatment plan. Some patients may need medication to manage their disease, some may need to travel to the UK for assessments or treatment, and some may ultimately need a liver transplant. The Hepatology team in Children’s Health Ireland is here to provide information and support to families on their individual paths with liver disease.”
Children’s Health Ireland works closely with Kings College Hospital in London for Liver Transplant patients. One such patient is Niamh from Kildare, who was diagnosed with liver disease at the age of 11, and placed on a transplant list at age 16. Niamh received her liver transplant in December 2020 in King’s Hospital in London. Her Dad, Denis, was her living donor.
Niamh’s story:
““After I was put on the list, Dad began training and becoming fit so that he may be eligible for donation. He also gave up alcohol for the year. He was an older donor, so they thought that the chances of him being eligible were quite slim. He went for donor assessment in October 2020 and we found out that he would be eligible, against all odds. “After the operation, Dad was discharged from hospital within six days and was home from London after two weeks. He recovered quite quickly and is doing perfectly now. It took me quite a bit longer to recover and I didn’t return home for two months. It has all been up since then though, and my quality of life has been amazing ever since. Currently, I am studying Chemistry in Trinity and am enjoying it. I would like to go into pharmacy.”