Former transplant patient raises £7,000 for Liver Foundation UK
Sue Bennett, a 42-year-old mother of three from Stafford, has raised an incredible £7,000 for QEHB Charity’s Liver Foundation UK after receiving a life-saving transplant.
Sue received her liver transplant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in June 2015, following a long struggle with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The exact cause of this condition is unknown, but it is widely believed to be the result of a problem within the immune system, wherein the immune system mistakenly sends specialised cells that usually kill bacteria and viruses to the bile duct, which then damage the surface of the bile ducts and cause scarring and disruption of the flow of bile from the liver over time.
This increases the amount of bile in the liver, which results in the liver becoming extensively damaged and scarred, otherwise known as cirrhosis. This damage causes the liver to lose its function over time.
Sue said about her transplant: “I was left feeling overwhelmed at the gift of life I had been given by my donor and their family. I am so grateful to the liver unit for saving my life.”
To say thank you, Sue organised a glamourous black-tie ball at Staffordshire County Showground. The Casino Royale-themed event included a three course meal, performances from a live band and an auction, and in total generated a fantastic £7,000 for the Liver Foundation UK, QEHB Charity’s fund for liver patients at QEHB.
But the excitement doesn’t end with Sue’s selfless fundraising – we are proud to announce that Sue has also been selected to represent the UK at the World Transplant Games 2017 in Spain! She wowed onlookers at the British Transplant Games earlier in the year, storming to victory with two silver and two gold medals.
Cathryn Worth, Senior Fundraising Officer at QEHB Charity, said: “Sue is an absolute inspiration and has also proved herself a truly fantastic fundraiser! We’re so grateful to have her support. Thank you to everyone who attended the event for helping to raise such a fabulous amount for patients on QEHB’s liver unit.”
To find out more about the Liver Foundation UK, go to liverfoundation.org.uk
