Donna was one of the many fantastic fundraisers who took up the challenge of travelling virtually from Lands’ End to John O’Groats this summer. She did amazingly, not only completing the distance but smashing her target and raising over £2,000. Thank you for sharing your story, Donna.
My daughter Ashley has faced a major health challenge over the past couple of years. A diagnosis of MASLD (fatty liver disease) manifested quickly into end stage liver cirrhosis. In November 2023 we were told that she had only two years to live, devastating news for anybody and for a young mother of only 35, it was unthinkable.
Over the next six months, Ashley’s health deteriorated rapidly. She put on almost seven stone of fluid, which severely restricted her mobility and then went into kidney failure and was very poorly. Once transferred to the specialist liver unit at Royal Infirmary, things began to progress and after a number of weeks she was placed on the transplant list. After nine months and two false alarms, our prayers were answered and her life saving transplant took place in March this year.
We are forever grateful to the donor and their family for their precious decision to donate their organs. Their gift has not only allowed Ashley life, it has given her 13-year-old twins their mum back. We hadn’t realised how much of an impact this has had on them and it’s amazing to see them so happy again.
We jumped at the opportunity to give back in some way
So, when we heard about the LeJog challenge, myself, Ashley, her partner Kevin and best friend Allana decided to take it on. It seemed the perfect way to raise funds for a cause which is very close to our hearts and to raise awareness of MASLD as people just do not realise what a serious condition this is.
It was also a great way of helping Ashley with her recovery. When we started the challenge, she was just three months post-transplant and looking for a way to keep moving. Doing this meant that she had a reason to get herself up and out exercising every day. It has had such a positive impact on her. For myself, it was a chance to get healthier and move more. I was also diagnosed with fatty liver disease many years ago, watching what my daughter has gone through has given me the push to change my lifestyle and get healthy. The British Liver Trust was also a huge support to my daughter throughout her journey with end stage liver disease, so we jumped at the opportunity to give back in some way.
It became a part of my routine
We were very proud to complete the challenge in two and a half months. Our preferred method of travel was walking but there was some cycling and dancing involved as well! In the early days, the biggest hurdle in the beginning was trying to fit it in around my busy work schedule. However, it got easier, and it became a normal part of my routine. Understandably, Ashley struggled physically at the start but over time she was pushing further than she thought she could. It was an enjoyable challenge and a great motivation to move more.
We are extremely overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone that has donated. We could not have asked for a better outcome. We set a target at the beginning of £500 so to raise over £2,000 is brilliant. We could not be happier to raise these funds for such a worthy cause!
We’ll give the final word to Ashley: “This challenge has been an amazing experience and one that I plan to continue in my daily routine. I do hope my story spreads awareness of this harrowing disease and encourages people not to give up.”
