RVH Children’s Ward get a visit from Liver Support Group….
Patricia and Rachel, both child and adolescent patient carers in the Liver Support Group, delivered a selection of sweets and activity book hampers to the childrens ward for Christmas.
🎅Season’s Greetings to the patients and staff in Ward 6D from RVHLSG 🎅
Kay and Jim, from the Liver Support Group, seen here with Sister Carol Harper bringing warmth and joy to patients and staff in Ward 6D at the RVH. The contents of these beautiful hampers have been sourced by members of the committee and lovingly brought together and presented to the ward.
The Melody Study; assessing antibody responses.
“The MELODY Study”
Some exciting news for liver patients about a new study starting today.
The MELODY Study aims to assess antibody responses following three Covid-19 vaccine doses in immunocompromised people. It will include people who have received solid organ transplants, people with rare autoimmune diseases receiving immunosuppression and people who had a diagnosis of blood cancer. It aims to recruit 12,000 solid organ transplant patients.
For more information, and to register, go to www.melodystudy.org
Jennifer Cairnduff from the RVH Support Group receives a donation from Thomas Morrison (11)
A KIND-HEARTED West Belfast boy, who suffers from a debilitating liver condition, has donated £367.62 of his own pocket money to the RVH Liver Support Group.
11-year-old Thomas Morrison lives with portal hypertension and portal vein thrombosis, which restrict the blood supply to his liver and causes his spleen to enlarge.
The Holy Trinity Primary School pupil had diligently saved his pocket money, putting all of his pennies and pounds into collection tins, which he donated to the charity on Saturday.
Thomas’ condition means that he must go for regular checkups and appointments at the Royal Victoria Hospital, and often has to travel to England for treatment.
The generous Glen Road boy said of his donation: “The liver foundation helped me, so I thought I might as well help them.”
He added that he is “going to start saving again”, insisting he will give more money to charity.
Due to his enlarged spleen Thomas is restricted in the activities he can take part in, and is unable to play contact sports. But as well as being a conscientious saver, he is also an avid fan of Cliftonville Football Club. To top-off a memorable week, he had a personal visit from team talisman, Joe ‘The Goal’ Gormley.
Thomas’ mum, Annemarie McGreevy, said that despite her son’s condition, she has “never seen a happier child”.
“He just takes everything in his stride,” she said.
“Thomas, from he was no age, couldn’t have come out of a shop without putting something in the charity box. He was never a child for running into shops or buying sweets. He would always put his money into the tins.
“Thomas wanted to help with the Liver Support Group because of all they’ve done for us, which I thought was amazing for all the age of him.”
She said he was “delighted” with the total he raised for charity, adding that it “gives him such a confidence boost”.
“The Liver Support Group do so much for us, so it’s so important for us to give back – I couldn’t be prouder of him,” she enthused.
“He just always wants to help other people. He’s such a thoughtful wee man.”
Fermanagh Cake Sale & 5K Walk
Sarah and Lorraine Mavitty and family raised an amazing £1500.00 for the RVH Liver Support Group through their recent 5K walk and cake sale all in memory of their late husband/father, Raymond.
Fermanagh Cake Sale
This weekend and next we are fortunate to have 2 fundraising events taking place in County Fermanagh.
If you would like to participate in the 5K walk tomorrow please meet at Castle Coole at 1.45pm ready to start at 2pm.
The cake sale is open to everyone next Friday at Enniskillen Town Hall so come along and grab some delicious goodies and donate to a great cause at the same time!*** 3rd Primary Jab Update from RVH Liver Unit ***
The Liver Unit understands the anxiety of patients and their families regarding the current vaccination programme and terminology being used.
The Chief Medical Officer of NI has adopted the JCVI advice which is very clear that the current vaccinations for transplant recipients and other severely immunosuppressed individuals are THIRD PRIMARY DOSES and not booster doses (regardless of what has been told to patients in letters or verbally up to this point).
The Liver Unit staff are simply passing on the chief medical officer/JCVI advice. The Liver Unit strongly recommend following the instructions in the letter they have issued to patients to book your third primary dose.
Please do NOT contact the Liver Unit to seek approval on an alternative pathway to vaccination as the staff will be unable to give alternative advice.
For the small number of patients who were initially told they were given a ‘booster’ dose in September, please be reassured the vaccine you have been administered is considered your third primary dose and you will not be disadvantaged when booster doses are rolled out in future. You do NOT need a fourth vaccination dose at this stage and should not seek to book a further vaccination with the letter received recently from the liver unit.
Please keep the letters you have recently been issued as these will likely be required to facilitate booster doses in approximately 6 months when details have been confirmed by JCVI/government.
*** IMPORTANT VACCINATION UPDATE ***
The JCVI have recommended a “third primary dose” of COVID-19 vaccination for immunocompromised patients including liver transplant recipients. This is NOT a booster dose and JCVI will define arrangements for boosters at a later stage.
Transplant patients who were administered both doses of COVID-19 vaccination pre-transplant DO NOT require a third dose.
Patients may use the following link to book a vaccination appointment – https://vaccinations.covid-19.hscni.net/booking
The Liver Unit secretaries are currently issuing letters of eligibility for liver transplant recipients and you should expect to receive these in the post in the coming days. If you secure an appointment for vaccination but are not in receipt of an eligibility letter by the time of your appointment, please contact the Liver Unit secretaries. It may be best to select a vaccination date in at least a week’s time to allow time for your eligibility letter to arrive by post.
Vaccination Centres offered include the 7 Towers Leisure Centre Ballymena, SWAH Enniskillen, Altnagelvin Hospital and Tyrone & Fermanagh Hospital in Omagh. The RVH Vaccination Centre is not offered.
Mayor of Ards meets transplant patients during ODW.
Local transplant recipients from the RVH Liver Support Group celebrate Organ Donation Week with the Mayor of Ards and North Down Council, Cllr. Mark Brooks.
Pictured are Patricia Getty transplanted 2019, Gordon Cave transplanted 1997, and Jim Kilpatrick (LSG Chairman) transplanted 2018.
The Group, which provides liver patients and their carers across Northern Ireland with non-medical advice and support, very much welcomes the Council’s ongoing and active endorsement of organ donation.
Mid Ulster Council meets RVH LSG
To help raise awareness of #OrganDonationWeek, Chair of Mid Ulster District Council Cllr. Paul McLean met with Kay Duffy, founder of the RVH Liver Support Group, and several local liver transplant recipients. The Chair made a donation to the Fund to assist its support of liver patients across Northern Ireland.
#organdonationni #organdonationweek #ODW #yesidonate #havethechat