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2005 November 16 - Local Liver Transplant Boy Celebrates 10th Birthday

A local boy who underwent a life-saving liver transplant in 1997 is looking forward to celebrating his 10th birthday on 28th December. 

Peter Randall from Market Rasen, will be celebrating the milestone with his family, including father Mark who gave Peter a unique gift when he donated part of his own liver for the transplant.

Peter was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma, a cancer of the liver, in February 1997 when he was fourteen months old.  Father Mark says, “We were devastated when we were told that Peter had cancer. We thought he would die as his liver was riddled with cancer which could have spread from elsewhere and been inoperable.” 

Peter underwent a course of chemotherapy at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham to remove as much of the tumour as possible and kill the cancer cells.  The family were advised that a liver transplant was required, and that Peter’s best chance of survival would be if this took place prior to his second course of chemotherapy three weeks later. 

As it was unlikely that a donor liver would become available within this short time-frame, Mark decided to undergo tests to see if he could donate part of his own liver, in what is called a living related transplant.

Luckily Mark was a suitable donor and Peter underwent his life-saving liver transplant in July 1997 at Kings College Hospital in London, one of three paediatric liver transplant centres in the UK.  The operations went well and both Peter and Mark made speedy recoveries.  Peter underwent his second course of chemotherapy as scheduled.  Peter has since gone from strength to strength. 

Peter’s mother, Judith, says, “We have been through a lot in the past ten years and Peter’s tenth birthday will be an extremely proud day for us.  Peter is now like any boy his age, he likes playing computer games, loves walking his pet bulldog Jasper and dislikes school most of the time!  As you may expect, he is also very close to his dad.”

Peter plans to spend his birthday celebrating with family and friends at home and is looking forward to a family cruise in March which will include a day trip to view the solar eclipse in Libya.

The family are now keen to raise awareness of childhood liver disease, and the charity which offered vital emotional support throughout their experience; Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF).

Judith explains, “Our world fell apart when Peter was diagnosed. CLDF were a lifeline, providing information and support and it was brilliant to know that we could pick up the phone and have someone to talk to who understood what we were going through.  Now that Peter is living life to the full, we want to give something back by helping to raise awareness of this important charity, which in addition to supporting families like ours, funds vital research and educates healthcare professionals.”

Catherine Arkley, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation adds, "We are delighted that Peter is doing so well and wish him a very happy 10th birthday.  He and his family have been through so much.  It’s great to see them ‘coming out of the other side’.  They will never be out of the woods though.  Peter will need medicines to prevent rejection for the rest of his life so he will always have a life of medical monitoring.  Most people are not aware that two children are diagnosed with a liver disease each day in the UK, that’s a greater incidence that childhood leukaemia. Quite simply we have no idea why many of the liver diseases happen.  Until we do, children like Peter will continue to become ill.  Our work is vital.”

For further information on the work of the Foundation, please visit www.childliverdisease.org or call 0121 212 3839 for a fundraising and information pack.

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For further information on this story please contact Rachel Markham, Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, Tel: 0121 212 6012, e-mail: communications@childliverdisease.org

Note to editors:
The Children’s Liver Disease Foundation is a unique national charity that fights childhood liver diseases through funding pioneering research and educating healthcare professionals and the general public. Formed in 1980, it provides professional, emotional support to families affected and is the only organisation of its kind in the UK.