The Birmingham Liver Transition team will launch a new group called Birmingham Liver Youth Support (BLYS) at an event on 11 March.

The launch event will be held in the Education Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, between 18:00 and 20:00. 

Monica Smith, Clinical Nurse Specialist for Adolescent Transition, said: “When I started working in the QEHB Liver team nine years ago, I was struck by the number of young people who were feeling isolated, especially when going through the transplant process.

“A support group for 16-25 year olds struck me as a fantastic way for young people to ask informal questions, socialise and talk about their shared experiences.

“Thanks to ongoing support from QEHB Charity, we were given a venue to meet with six enthusiastic young people.

“As part of this steering group, BLYS was born.  

“Facilitated by the transition team, the group has come up with a group logo and has organised the launch event.”

Philippa Lewis, Transitional Youth Worker Livers, added: “A group of young liver transplant patients all raised their voice that we should set up a young person’s support group.

“Many of them felt that they never saw another young person whilst going through the transplant assessment.

“The group will provide a great opportunity for young people who have had or will have a liver transplant to relax and have fun with young people their own age, who know exactly what they’re going through.”

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which QEHB is part of, has the largest organ transplantation programme in Europe. The liver paediatric team, based across QEHB and Birmingham Children’s Hospital, has completed 260 paediatric liver transplants in the last 12 months.

To register for the event, or for more information about the BLYS, please call or email:

Tel: 0121 371 4546
Email: BLYS@uhb.nhs.uk