In a couple of weeks time, my 11 year old son and I will be competing in the UK Transplant Games for the very first time. As my friends among LDV readers will know, my son is a remarkable boy in many respects. Some say he is a ‘chip off the old block’. I rather think he’s in a league of his own.
His story is dramatic, yet sadly not unique. Three years ago, around his 8th birthday, he was suddenly diagnosed with kidney failure. It was the second time in that he faced a battle for life. As a baby, he and his twin brother were extremely ill with severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. They are one of only a small number of twins to have both survived this condition.
Most of the following year was spent in Great Ormond Street Hospital, including birthdays and Christmas. He suffered multiple major infections, complications and assorted emergencies, and underwent 10 operations in as many months. An attempted transplant was aborted at the last minute due to liver problems.
Follow @libdemvoice.org on Bluesky
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our feed
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Brexit and summer holidays
The pine martens of Shropshire
The shame of Liverpool Labour councillors taking their allowances but not turning up to do the work
Peter Davies 
Tom Bailey 
Ruth Bright 
John Reed 
Peter Hirst 