PATIENT GUIDE TO KINGS COLLEGE HOSPITAL (LONDON)

If you have been informed that you may need to go to Kings for an assessment  or are going over for a transplant then this document that we have prepared is for you and your next of kin.

Kay, Jim and Arthur recently visited London to meet the various members of the  transplant teams and support staff.  A  guide to give some information on the hospital and surrounding  area (coffee shops, food shops etc)  was drawn up and is  now available. Please feel free to have a look at the document below  (A Patient Guide)  and, if you prefer, you can either print a copy or save a copy to you device from within the PDF reader on your device.

A PATIENT GUIDE

NEED MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR DIAGNOSIS?

Have you, or someone you know, been diagnosed with a liver condition requiring treatment? With thanks to the British Liver Trust we have an extensive range of booklets available to explain more fully all of these conditions.

YOUR CONDITION EXPLAINED

FATTY LIVER DISEASE (MASLD).

Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with fatty liver disease?  MASLD , metabolic dysfunction- associated steatotic liver disease encompasses a continuum of liver abnormalities, from metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). These diseases begin with fatty accumulation in the liver (hepatic steatosis). A liver can remain fatty without disturbing liver function (MASL), but by various mechanisms and possible further liver injury, it may also progress into steatohepatitis (MASH), a state in which steatosis is combined with inflammation and sometimes fibrosis.

More and more members of the public in N Ireland are being diagnosed with this condition which can ultimately lead to liver cirrhosis. It is important that we eat a healthy diet and try to have some form of regular exercise in our daily lives. And if you have been diagnosed with MASLD it can be reversed in its early stages through lifestyle changes. For more detailed information on how we can help ourselves please look at the document below:-

Treating MASLD with a healthy diet & physical activity publication.

Its always good to remember to “Love your Liver” and  we think  it beneficial to keep this in mind.

The liver is a fascinating organ and its importance is often underrated. It’s an amazing multi-tasker and has over 500 vital jobs to do each and every day to keep you alive. It’s just as important as other organs like your heart and lungs, but they tend to steal most of the limelight.

In the UK, liver disease is on the rise. The three major preventable causes are drinking alcohol, obesity and viral hepatitis.

When it’s damaged, the liver can repair itself, but only up to a point. Sadly, people with liver disease often don’t have any symptoms until the disease has progressed and it’s far too late for treatment. That’s why it’s so important to know the risk factors and to keep your liver happy and healthy for life – before long-lasting damage can occur. Take your first steps towards better liver health today.

Take a pledge to love your liver and make a change that will benefit your liver health.

There follows some information to help you.  It details what we can do, as individuals, to help our liver recover and to continue to look after it in the future. Unlike other organs the liver has the properties of self healing but that can only happen if we make every effort to avoid on-going liver injury.

Included here are a few tips to help us on that journey. They are kindly provided by the British Liver Trust and we thank them for bringing this information together in an easy to read and understand way. We have made this easy for you to access and you just need to click on the relevant links below.

                                                                                                                                   EAT HEALTHY

                                                                                                                             CUT DOWN ALCOHOL

ORGAN DONATION REGISTER

The RVH Liver Support Group has organ donation close to it’s heart for, without it, many patients would not be able to live long and fruitful lives. The charity relies on the huge generosity of others in allowing this to happen. We actively encourage the general public to consider organ donation and to make themselves aware of the many positive stories told by patients who already have been successfully transplanted.  We have provided the opportunity for some of these patients to share their story with you. These personal accounts of their journeys will be of particular significance to those patients are are currently on the transplant waiting list and to their families and loved ones. All of these accounts can be found by clicking  YOUR STORIES

One wee chat could save up to 9 lives. Talk to your loved ones today about being an organ donor #havethechat #organdonation #yesidonate Learn more at: www.organdonationni.info

Letting loved ones know you want to be an organ donor can make it easier for them at a difficult time #havethechat #organdonation #yesidonate Learn more at: www.organdonationni.info

For further general information on organ donations please take some time and visit this website https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/  You are also very welcome to contact any committee member to discuss these possibilities further.

Organ donation law in Northern Ireland has now changed.

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