After falling down the stairs three years ago, Micheal Murray, 60, was told he had mere months to live.
The accident left the former salesman and auctioneer with a broken neck and three cracked vertebrae in his spine.
And when he was being checked over by doctors, they found the Insch man’s liver was incredibly damaged.
After some more tests, he was placed on the waiting list for a transplant.
It was the latest in a long run of health concerns for Micheal, who had also previously suffered a heart attack and overcome spina bifida – where he was born with a gap in his spine.
‘Why give it to me – I’ve already lived’
Micheal received the call he’d been waiting for in autumn last year.
A liver was being donated by a young girl who was also AB-negative – matching his own blood type.
But he was reluctant to go through with the procedure.
“I thought, why give a liver to someone who’s 60? I’ve already lived,” Micheal said.
“But the doctor said ‘you need a liver – you’ve another 20 years in you yet.’
“And all I said was ‘oh, hell’.”
Liver transplant led to other concerns
The liver transplant was a success, but a few weeks later Micheal was struck down by another illness which required him to go under the knife again.
This time surgeons removed a 20cm (7 inch) section of his intestines.
He was then struck down with sepsis – blood poisoning – requiring even more recovery time in the wards.
Micheal was in and out of hospital regularly, for his illnesses and check-ups, for six months.
This required him to pay for travel to and from appointments, and for hotel stays for a carer.
“I was running back and forth, with petrol to pay and a carer with me. It wasn’t cheap,” he said.
“Being on mobility, it’s not money you’ve got sitting about.”
Inspiration to start a charity
He’s now in the process of setting up the Micheal Murray Liver Transplant Support Group, with his sister and one of Aberdeen’s top consultants as trustees.
Its aim is to ease the financial burden for others facing the need for a liver transplant, and create a support network for those affected.
Since Micheal started fundraising last week, he’s already taken in thousands of pounds from people keen to support the cause.
And the “well kent” face is collecting donations for a fundraising auction – hoping to amass several hundred lots to go under the hammer.
He’s already had pledges of local jewellery, toys and football memorabilia.
Micheal added: “There were so many costs I had not been prepared for.
“And I often found myself struggling to cover my basic needs.
“So I thought, if I set up a charity, we can relieve that pressure for other people going to get transplants.”
Micheal can be contacted via his fundraising page, available at gofundme.com/f/liver-transplant-support-group
Conversation