'I've had three livers, now I'm running a marathon'

A Herefordshire man who received three liver transplants, including one donated by his father, is training to run the London Marathon as he campaigns for greater awareness of organ donation.

Charlie Tobey, 25, from Woolhope, had his first transplant at just two weeks old and later needed two more operations following complications as a teenager.

Now living and working in London, he is one of five runners hoping to raise £15,000 for Split - Children's Liver Fund, a charity he helped establish after his third transplant in 2015.

"I've never known anything different," Tobey said. "I've been able to live a very happy and normal life as anyone else really."

Tobey developed acute liver failure shortly after birth and underwent his first transplant at Birmingham Children's Hospital in 2000.

He lived a healthy childhood before his transplanted liver failed when he was 14, leaving him in need of another donation.

In May 2015, his father donated part of his liver, but the transplant was unsuccessful.

"Unfortunately, I then went through something called septic shock after I came out of anaesthetic, and that caused that liver to fail as well," Tobey said.

After spending several weeks in intensive care, he received a third transplant later that year.

"Third time lucky," he said.

Tobey said taking medication and attending regular check-ups had become part of everyday life.

"It's always been a part of me so I take my medicines every day and now it's just sort of routine.

"I've never known anything different. I think if I'd just had the one when I was born and then had the ones at 14 then things might have been a bit different."

He added that, despite some restrictions on activities such as contact sports, he had been able to lead a normal life.

"It's a small price to pay," he said.

Tobey helped establish Split - Children's Liver Fund following his third transplant and has spent the past decade supporting fundraising efforts, including organising annual charity cricket matches.

Now, he and four others are preparing to take on the 2027 London Marathon.

"The reason why I'm running the marathon this year is because I think organ donation levels are down more than they ever have been in the country," he said.

"We want to not just raise awareness for the charity Split, but we really want to raise awareness for everyone to make sure that they're on the organ donation list."

The group hopes to raise £15,000 for the charity through the challenge.

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