Rare transplant patient sets up golf support group

Last year Mandy Ambert underwent a life-saving liver donation from a former transplant patient

A woman who is believed to be the only person in the UK to have received an organ donation from another transplant patient has set up a support group to raise awareness.

Mandy Ambert underwent a liver transplant last year after two cancerous tumours were detected following her diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis.

The 66-year-old grandmother from Newcastle-under-Lyme went through a course of chemotherapy before having a life-saving procedure last year at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

During her recovery a few months later, the idea to set up the Mulligans - a golfing group of transplant donors and receivers - was born while attending the Transplant Games in Coventry.

Across the UK, there are more than 7,000 people currently on the waiting list for an organ donation.

Ms Ambert is one of only 11 people in the world to receive an organ from another transplant patient - often referred to as domino liver transplantation.

Reliving her experience, the former critical care physiotherapist told BBC WM: “You cannot prepare for what you’re involved with post transplant, the emotional side of things is incredibly hard.

“I celebrated my first transplant anniversary a couple of weeks ago knowing that there was a young person who lost their life to give me his liver.

“When you realise that somebody has to die for us to live, that’s quite a responsibility, it’s not easy.”

Her donor had died following a catastrophic brain injury.

The Mulligans group - which is a golf term for second chance - is made up of donors, organ recipients, and their families

Ms Ambert, who is the editor of Midlands Golfer Magazine, warned that transplants were “no quick fix” as recipients were often left with a range of symptoms.

She said: “You’re highly at risk of skin cancer or diabetes so we have to be ever so careful.

“My hands shake all the time so when putting on makeup I just look like Coco the clown as a side effect of the anti-rejection medication.”

She praised the care she received at liver units run by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) and University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM).

Now, together with the 19 people which make up Mulligans - a golfing term for second chance - Ms Ambert is calling for transplant sport to be recognised nationally.