At the age of 17, I received a life-changing diagnosis: autoimmune hepatitis type 2, an incurable autoimmune disease. The prognosis was grim. Years of undiagnosed illness had led to stage four cirrhosis of my liver. Ahead loomed a lifetime of medication to stave off further damage, with the stark reality that by 30, my liver would likely fail, and with it, my life, unless I received a life-saving liver transplant.

Feeling like a failure, unworthy of a second chance, I spent years battling self-hatred, depression and anxiety believing I had let down both my family and loved ones. At one point, I even questioned whether I would accept a new organ if the opportunity arose.

Thankfully, when my liver finally failed at 32 (still quietly celebrating its resilience), I had come to cherish life and yearn for a second chance.

In August 2017, I was granted that chance through a life-saving liver transplant. But before that, there were 15 years of sickness, and what I was too sick to realise was that for some like myself – a transplant isn’t a cure – it’s a treatment.

Today, I’m not just a survivor; I’m a passionate advocate for change. I campaigned for presumed consent laws in the UK and for greater education about organ transplants in schools. I’ve also authored a children’s book which is now in nine languages on the kindle.