Will

While I've been in hospital I've been lucky enough to meet some incredible children. Today should be Will's 16th birthday, but he died in May 2007. This post is in his memory.

The very first time I went to hospital B was for a meeting with the consultant (Dr G) in Summer 2006 about whether I was suitable for a transplant assessment. I was very upset during the meeting at the uncertainty of my future. Then me and my parents were shown round the ward. I was used to the noise and bustle of hospital G, and the ward at hospital B seemed a complete contrast. The ward appeared deserted, as all the patients were in their cubicles (or maybe off the ward), there were no children to be seen! The only staff were 2 nurses, who I thought looked very formidable. I hated it, and I couldn't imagine being a patient there. Then the entrance doors to the ward flew open and a boy who looked about the same age as my brother (13 ish), ran down the ward and gave one of the nurses a huge hug. He was clearly very comfortable on the ward and with the nurses, so that was when I realised that maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. That was my first meeting with Will.

Will wasn't on the ward when I was in for my transplant assessment, but he was in for the majority of my actual transplant stay. Will was 13, the same age as my brother. He'd had a transplant like mine (small bowel and liver) a few years ago, but his transplant was failing and he had to go back onto TPN. Me and Will were both quite shy, so we didn't talk much, but me and my parents got friendly with his family, especially his mum, and Alf got friendly with Wills' younger brother. So I learnt a lot about Will through seeing him around the ward for so long and also through talking to his family and the nurses who all knew him very well.

Will loved football and was an avid supporter of Manchester United. He had their colours and posters all around his room and in his cubicle window. Will loved cars and couldn't wait to learn to drive. He also enjoyed riding his bike, playing on his games consoles and spending time with his family and his dogs.

Will was always smiling and making everyone laugh, even when he was ill. He was so brave and so determined, and was (and still is) a real inspiration to me.

Will spent Christmas 2006 in hospital, like me, and also his 14th birthday in February 2007. He managed to escape to a local zoo for the day with his family, and when he came back it was clear he'd had an amazing time and he was full of tales to tell us all.

The day after his 14th birthday Will was relisted for a transplant as his original transplant had failed. Shortly after I was discharged Will was discharged to his local hospital, but soon he got the 'call' and had his second transplant. I kept in touch with Will by writing to him in hospital. Will was soon feeling a lot better and very soon after his transplant he rode his bike round a local park. However something was clearly wrong as Will was very jaundiced. When I returned for a clinic we saw him and his mum on the ward.

Just a few weeks later the ward phoned us and we learnt Will was very, very ill. He had serious rejection and his organs were failing. A few days later, on May 28th we heard Will had died, he was just 14.

Will was such an inspiration to me and many other people. As Will liked to say, "Where there's a Will, there's a way."

A couple of weeks later I attended Will's burial. It was perfect. RIP Will xxxxxxxxxx