BY KATHERINE WALCOT
The South West Liver Buddies have existed for almost two years now. We have a website, a twitter account, and of course our members’ facebook group page. We have held online social gatherings, information sessions and are starting to meet up in person again. We now have over 150 members throughout the South West, so it’s no wonder that the media has started to take an interest.
Katie Ramos (Lead Liver Transplant Co-ordinator for the South West Liver Unit) and myself (liver transplant recipient) were asked to be ready for a phone call from Radio Devon at 2.10pm on Wednesday 2nd February. We were due to be interviewed by Pippa Quelch during her show. Katie was ready and waiting in her office. I was… sitting in my car at the top of the multi-storey car park at Derriford following my hepatology appointment, with a friend crocheting in the passenger seat. It all seemed quite surreal!
However, once we were live on air, Pippa put us at ease and it felt just like chatting on the phone to hospital staff about liver disease, transplant and the Liver Buddies. We talked about my journey with liver disease, Katie’s role within the Liver Unit and about how the South West Liver Buddies had started. Pippa seemed really interested in our story and we chatted for almost 30 minutes, much longer than planned. In fact, she sounded pretty keen to join the Liver Buddies herself!
You can listen to the full interview below:
So watch this space, folks! Television next? Maybe even Hollywood?! Just as long as whatever we do promotes the fact that patients with poor liver health and their carers don’t have to go it alone – there are others in the same boat who are ready to be buddies on this journey.
Join our online community group to chat to others in a similar situation.
