Lliana

What is your age and gender?

13

What is your liver condition?

Biliary atresia, portal hypertension, and I did have hepatic pulmonary syndrome.

How old were you when you was diagnosed?

I was six weeks old.

How did you feel?

Well at the time I don’t know- I probably didn’t know a thing. (hahaha) But my mum and dad have been honest with me from the start.

How were you told?

I can’t really remember but I know my mum and dad have never kept secrets about my health condition from me.

How does it affect you?

I suppose it affects me as I have medicines to take and I can’t do contact sports.

Are you on any medicines?

When I was diagnosed with liver disease I had to take a few medicines but then after my transplant last year they all changed I was taking medicines over 10 times a day (some the same and some different). They have gone down a lot now but I will be on Tacrolimus Mycophenolate forever (that's unless scientists find a better way to do things or maybe even a cure)

How often do you go to appointments?

I go to king’s college hospital in London for my main check ups but I also go to my local one as well. I go to London every 3 months and go to Derriford in between.

What are the good and bad things about having a liver condition?

The good things about it is knowing about this charity, I mean without my liver disease I would never of known about them.
The odd time off schools isn’t bad, but it can get annoying sometimes.

The bad things are missing loads of school (like when I had my transplant) and no contact sports (basketball was my fave and an ideal sport for someone of my height).

Does anything worry you about having a liver condition?

Just the fact that I have to generally be ‘extra careful’ all of the time.

Have you got any messages for other young people with a liver condition?

My message to other people with some sort of liver disease as me is live your life to the full! If you’ve had a transplant you should be out there having loads of fun because you have been given another chance in life so just enjoy it because even though life can be pretty tough sometimes you only live once so you might as well enjoy it!