Dr Vanessa Poeppinghaus, Associate Specialist at the Emergency Department at Ysbyty Gwynedd had a liver transplant in 1990 at the age of 33 having lived with a congenital disorder since her early 20’s.
Her worsening illness led to constant tiredness and the active social life of the young doctor was severely curtailed. Things came to a head on a skiing holiday in March 1990 where she became seriously unwell and upon returning home, her medical team made the decision that a transplant was needed as an emergency measure.
By September of that year, Vanessa had received the transplant, following a couple of false alarms, as an organ became available in London. She spent three weeks in hospital and remarkably, was back at work in six months.
Nineteen years on and Vanessa is a mother to two children of 14 and 10 years old and has pursued a busy but fulfilling career in emergency medicine, having worked at Ysbyty Gwynedd in a full time role since 1991. She has annual check-ups and takes a daily immuno-repressant tablet to stop her body rejecting the liver but other than this she leads a completely normal life.
By September of that year, Vanessa had received the transplant, following a couple of false alarms, as an organ became available in London. She spent three weeks in hospital and remarkably, was back at work in six months.
Nineteen years on and Vanessa is a mother to two children of 14 and 10 years old and has pursued a busy but fulfilling career in emergency medicine, having worked at Ysbyty Gwynedd in a full time role since 1991. She has annual check-ups and takes a daily immuno-repressant tablet to stop her body rejecting the liver but other than this she leads a completely normal life.
“I really haven’t looked back since having the transplant” sai d Vanessa. “There were times during my illness when I felt really low and that the family life and career I had worked hard for would just not be possible. But the transplant truly gave me a new lease of life and has allowed me to have the very busy lifestyle I now have!”
Vanessa has never had contact with her donor’s family but wrote a letter to the transplant co-ordinator to pass on soon after her transplant: “It would not be possible for me to be here today without the death of another. The gift of life is indeed very precious and this is what the donor’s family gave me. I have only my sincere and loving thanks to the family whose courage in adversity made it all possible.”
Vanessa has never had contact with her donor’s family but wrote a letter to the transplant co-ordinator to pass on soon after her transplant: “It would not be possible for me to be here today without the death of another. The gift of life is indeed very precious and this is what the donor’s family gave me. I have only my sincere and loving thanks to the family whose courage in adversity made it all possible.”