Bromsgrove man 'incredibly grateful' four years on from successful liver transplant
51-year-old Simon Remington underwent a transplant in October 2021 and is wanting trying to use his story to educate people more on alcohol
A Bromsgrove man who was told he had liver disease from 'excessive drinking' has said his successful transplant changed his life entirely, four years on from when he had it.
51-year-old Simon Remington was diagnosed following tests after he woke up one morning in March 2020 and noticed he had a distended stomach - his stomach was stuck out.
After becoming more poorly following his diagnosis, he was referred to the Queen Elizabeth (QE) Hospital in Birmingham where he was told by a doctor without a liver transplant, he had 'a year, two years maximum to live'.
In July 2021 Simon was added to the transplant list and later that year in October received a successful one at the ninth attempt in the Queen Elizabeth (QE) Hospital.
He says this week marks four years since got the call about his transplant.
"There's almost different ways I feel about it, doesn't feel like that was me," he said.
"It has changed me as a person entirely, it's changed my priorities in life, it's changed I think how I treat people and how I treat myself.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the donor and also the care of the people, especially at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and it created a passion for my drive to create better for other people."
Since his transplant he's worked with the British Liver Trust and Alcohol Change UK to try and help people become more educated about alcohol.
Last month he launched a monthly 'sober social and support space' in Bromsgrove to give people a place and a chance to meet without feeling pressured or judged in an alcohol-free setting and has extended it to one in Birmingham this evening (23 October).
He says alcohol awareness initiatives through October fit in with what he's trying to do by holding these spaces.
"It's four years since I had my transplant, so it's perfectly poignant for me," he said.
"I think that one of the main things I'm trying to really get across is about understanding what alcohol is and what it can do to you.
"In the sense of naturality of the time, because there are already people who are at that point where there's a time to pause, reflect, to think about drinking behaviours whilst a national campaign is going on and that's what I'm trying to do through my work."
A report from Drinkaware earlier this week revealed half of young adults are choosing "no and low" alcohol products to moderate their drinking.
It showed 49% of young adults now choose no and low alcohol to moderate their drinking, up from 28% since 2018.
Figures also presented a sharp rise in UK drinkers opting for alcohol-free options to moderate their drinking, from 18% in 2018 to 31% in 2025, with consumption of low-alcohol products also increasing from 25% to 33% over the same period.
Further support
Further support is available by visiting the Get help page on the Alcohol Change UK website or other sources such as those listed on the NHS alcohol support web page.