Yet another successful coffee morning, this time in the Burrendale Hotel Newcastle Co Down. What a beautiful setting to be in full view of the Mourne mountains as patients and family members came together to enjoy tea/coffee and scones with host, Arthur Goan, Vice Chair of the Liver Support Group.  This event was, as usual, well supported and continues to demonstrate the importance and need for a setting where small numbers of patients can come together and have a chat; all in comfortable surroundings.

Our next coffee morning has already been organised and will be held on Wednesday December 4th in the Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh. Kay Duffy and Arthur Goan will be the hosts for the gathering on the day.

Alcohol related liver disease (and deaths) are on an alarming rise here in N Ireland. And we can say, with conviction, that it is among both the male and female population. The programme to be broadcast tonight on BBC 1 shines a light on the serious effects of alcohol on the liver. If you happen to know someone that may relate to this please let them know to watch it. You never know, you could just be sowing a seed to save a life!!

Alistair King Chair of the merged British Liver Trust/Children’s Liver Disease Foundation is Lord Mayor of the City of London for 2024-2025. He invited the charity to be part of the Lord Mayor’s Parade this year, giving them a fantastic opportunity to highlight its work and the importance of addressing liver disease. It was a joyful occasion and everyone looks forward to the year ahead offering further events. The RVH Liver Support Group were also invited over for this special event.

Dr Sharon Millen and Arthur Goan, from RVH Liver Support Group, joined with their colleagues, LISN, (Liver Ireland Support Network) in Dublin on Saturday October 19th where LISN launched their Autumn Joint Educational Meeting. The meeting was also joined by the medical team from the Irish Liver Foundation. Attendees were given updates on end stage/chronic liver disease, auto-immune liver diseases as well as updates on LISN evolvement. These presentations were made by both medical professionals and committee members of LISN as well as our very own Dr Sharon Millen who, along with Dr Karol Donnelly, launched their booklet titled “Living with Liver Disease and as a Transplant Patient-Managing Your Mental Health”

Another successful coffee morning , this time in Bushtown. It was an opportunity for patients to come together for a chat over a cup of coffee and scone. Keep an eye out for the next one both here and on our social media channels.

On Thursday 28th of September Annie and I  headed off to London to meet the other “liver families” from Birmingham children’s hospital. We stayed in the premier inn where we had a lovely meal and got to meet our taxi driver, Andy, for the weekend. On Friday morning we had a VERY early start as the taxi was taking us at 5am to Canary Wharf for a big breakfast with the 100 other families before setting off on our adventure! The city of London police and the French gendarmerie stopped the traffic to allow the 100 taxis, 3 ambulances, medical staff taxis and the AA to travel in a large convoy the whole way to Dover and then from Calais to Disneyland. En route we stopped for a fuel stop and all the local French people came out to put on lots of treats and entertainment for everyone. We arrived on Friday evening at the hotel Cheyenne in the Disneyland resort and stayed there for 2 nights. Early Saturday morning we set of to spend a day of fun in the theme park and it was such a magical experience for everyone! Annie’s favourite rides were Thunder mountain and the Hollywood tower of terror but she loved ALL the rides we went on….all 17 of them that we managed to fit in!! On Saturday night we got all dressed up and we went to the New York hotel for a gala dinner and disco. On Sunday morning before setting off for the journey back to London, the emergency services gave the children the opportunity to go on the motorbikes, police’s cars etc and make lots of noise with the sirens and horns!
Annie and I were so honoured to have been chosen to attend this once in a lifetime trip where we were treated like royalty from start to finish.

During Organ Donation Week our members, Rachel Quinney-Mee (committee) and Rachel Chambers scaled Slieve Donard along with 30 other people to mark #organdonationweek. The event which was run locally by Organ Donation Northern Ireland saw keen hikers from across the UK climb the highest peaks in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Thankfully the weather held up and everyone had a great day sharing their transplant stories and experiences. Thanks to Organ Donation NI for organising.