Summiya

Faces of Liver UK

That sense of understanding, support and connection means so much to me.

Donated part of her liver to her son

About me

I am a mother of three and a primary school teacher by profession. My youngest child, Yasin, was diagnosed with biliary atresia as a newborn and I have been by his side throughout his journey. After he was listed for a liver transplant, we endured a harrowing eight-month wait, during which Yasin became critically unwell. As his mum, I decided to be tested as a potential living donor, and thankfully, I was found to be a suitable match. On 16 April 2025, I donated part of my liver to my son. This experience has given me a deeply personal connection to liver disease, transplantation, living donation and the wider liver community in the UK.

Why Liver UK matters

What matters most to me about Liver UK is reading the amazing and inspirational stories shared through the blog, especially those from families whose experiences are similar to my son’s. Seeing other families’ journeys makes me feel less alone and reminds me that there are others who understand what we are going through. I have also been incredibly grateful for the support of some amazing people at the charity who have supported both me and my son immensely. They have helped us with questions and given us guidance when we needed to understand things further or seek clarification from our medical team at the hospital. That sense of understanding, support and connection means so much to me.