Miracle woman Lizzie banking on sixth liver op
Kilkenny city woman Lizzie O'Farrell, the only person in the world to survive five transplants, has travelled to King's College Hospital in the hope of finding a suitable donor.
Her last liver failed almost a year ago and now a cocktail of pain-relieving drugs keep her alive. But through the painful waiting, she's never failed to smile and has never, ever given up hope.
"I will either die here or get a new liver," she said as she walked into the hospital, flanked by her brother, Philly, and his girlfriend, Andrea.
It's a miracle that she has lived this long and she readily acknowledged that she should already be dead.
"You know it's not the drugs that are keeping me alive but my family and friends that are rooting for me," said the 26-year-old. "I will just have to wait and hope for the best," she said.
Three to four weeks after Lizzie has her sixth transplant, Philly, 24, will provide her with his bone marrow, for what will hopefully be her final major operation. He lives just an hour and a half away from London.
The marrow transplant should ensure that the organ is not rejected by her body. Doctors found a dormant strain of hepatitis caused Lizzie to reject all other donor organs up to now.
Lizzie's sister, Maria, said she had suffered ill-health since she was just eight years of age. "The latest prognosis is very promising. We have been told that the latest transplant, coupled with a bone marrow transplant, is Lizzie's best chance of leading a normal life. The treatment so far has given her great relief and we hope the bone marrow operation will also help," she said.
The bright and bubbly young woman fulfilled her dream two years ago when she married her childhood sweetheart, Keith Finnegan. The couple hope that they will be able to enjoy the foreign honeymoon they have dreamed about.
"Lizzie has had a rough time since the wedding. She was married in September but got sick again at Christmas. She deserves a bit of luck at this stage," said Maria.
Lizzie had her first transplant at 15. She underwent a second the same year and had her third at 16. Her fourth operation was at 18 and a half. That liver lasted five years. Her last operation was at 23.
Lizzie paid tribute to her brother who offers her the best chance of a full recovery. "The doctors were amazed how good a match we were. Our marrow is the same in every way bar that his is male and mine female. It's just fantastic and a great boost."
Lizzie's father Seamus passed away last year and her mother Margaret is praying at her Kilkenny home that her daughter makes a full recovery.
Anyone who wants to help Lizzie can make a donation to the Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny, sort code 90-60-64 account number 19436242.
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