Today is a day that will make history as Scotland changes its laws on organ donation - and one Glasgow girl is marking it in her own unique way.
Natalie Deans is running 135km over the course of a month - a kilometre for each day that the average adult has to wait on the organ donation waiting list for a life-saving liver transplant.
It's a distance of roughly 83 miles - which is just short of running the distance from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back again!
Starting her challenge today, Natalie will raise vital funds for the British Liver Trust.
And it's a cause close to her heart, after Natalie's own dad had a life-saving liver transplant of his own in 2020.
Natalie says: “During the first lockdown my dad got sick. He'd had liver problems in the recent past but a bout of sepsis ravaged his liver and he went downhill fast. He spent a few months battling liver health-related issues before we were told he'd need a liver transplant.
“He'd been on the list 45 days and we were told it was a now or likely never scenario. Fortunately for him, on November 22nd my dad has his transplant and a second chance at life. If my dad had to wait 135 days on the transplant list, this run would be in memory of him, not in honour of him."
Although she's already smashed her target before beginning - Natalie has currently raised £1,170 of a £500 target - every penny counts.
Natalie continued: “I’m running for the British Liver Trust because they support people with liver problems through support groups, information and their nurse-led helpline, but they also campaigns for early detection, treatments and prevention of liver disease.”
Since 1970, deaths due to liver disease have increased by 400% and every day over 40 people die from liver disease in the UK. This is in stark contrast to other major killer diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, in which the number of deaths have either remained stable or decreased.
Shockingly, liver disease is the biggest cause of death in those aged between 35-49 years old - making it all the more amazing that Natalie is going to such a big effort for the charity.
And as mentioned, today the law around organ donation is moving to an opt-out system to allow more people to save more lives.
It means that all adults in Scotland will be considered as willing to donate when they die, unless they have recorded a decision not to donate, are in one of the excluded groups or have told their family they don’t wish to donate.
Adults covered by the change will still have a choice whether they want to be an organ donor and their families will still be involved before organ donation goes ahead.
This brings Scotland in line with England and Wales, which already have an opt-out organ donation system.
Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive at the British Liver Trust says: “We’re delighted that Natalie has taken on this challenge to help raise awareness of organ donation and support liver patients.
"A liver transplant really can be the gift of life and we owe an enormous debt to all organ donors and their families. The law change is a good step forward but it’s still really important to let your loved ones know your wishes to give them certainty to support your decision at a difficult time.”
You can donate to Natalie's fundraiser here.
