In 2023 St. Vincent’s University Hospital celebrated their 30- years of liver transplants in Ireland. The event was a great success with many liver recipients and their family members coming from all over Ireland to celebrate the occasion and indeed pay tribute to organ donors and their families. However it was highlighted at the event by St. Vincent’s doctors, consultants and liver co-ordinators that there was a huge need for a patient support group in Ireland and after seeing first hand the benefits that such groups had on patients and their families while working in the UK and Canada, they knew that such a group would be invaluable to all future and past liver transplant recipients and their families. So, during the anniversary that celebrated 30 years of successful transplantation in Ireland, they empowered and united us, the patients, to help ourselves and each other and thus the Liver Ireland Support Network was born!
LISN Committee Members at the LISN Launch event on the 20th of April 2024 in the Clayton Hotel, Ballsbridge.
This not for profit organisation aims to develop supports and resources for the patients and their carers who are on the transplant journey. Resources include emotional support, family support, educational information and events, meet-ups, fundraising and advocacy for organ donation and liver disease.
Professional counselling is a key part of our offerings. We recognise the immense emotional toll of living with liver disease and the transformative power of therapeutic support. LISN offers FREE counselling sessions by professional, accredited counsellors. This service is designed to provide tailored support in your local community.
Advocacy will also be a key focus for us. We want to impact policy, improve patient care, and ensure that the needs of liver patients are heard and addressed at all levels of government. But just as importantly, we want to provide practical supports for patients in need, such as providing basic necessities like simple washbags and phone charges if needed when admitted to the hospital.
Most importantly, we want to work hand in hand with the incredible healthcare professionals at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. We believe that by supporting them, we can enhance the care they provide to liver patients. We want to be a voice for the collective liver patient population, helping to articulate the unique challenges and needs of those living with this condition.
This is a group that is by patients for patients and with your help, we can make a real difference to all our lives and those of future generations to come. Please stay in touch with us by signing up for free membership and by regularly checking in with our website and social media channels. Together, we can create a future where transplant journeys are transformed into journeys of hope and resilience. Let’s come together to build a community of hope, resilience, and unwavering support.