The life of a QE patient who became the first person in the UK to qualify as a nurse following a liver transplant has been detailed in a book written by her dad. The book was launched at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham on Wednesday 5th August. Sally Painting sadly died in 2005, eight months pregnant and aged 30, after enduring liver disease since she was 7-years-old.
As a teenager her life was saved three times and she herself went on to care for patients with liver disease at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Sally became a role model for other transplant patients winning a swimming gold at the World Transplant Games in 1999.
Sally’s dad Graham has written a book ‘Looking for the Rainbow – The Sally Painting Story’ which is being launched at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, to remember Sally and to help raise money for the Sally Painting Memorial fund which was set up in her memory.
Graham said: “The book has taken eight years to come to fruition. Following Sally’s death 10 years ago we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of grief that not only those close to her felt, but so many others too.
“Her diaries were so important to her and even when she was too poorly to write them and her mum did them for her on scraps of paper, she painstakingly copied them into the diaries. “It is these diaries that have formed the basis of the book showing insights into coping with many, many hospital appointments and illness whilst growing up.”
Profits from sales of the book will support liver patients at the QE by providing complementary massage therapies for liver transplant patients, and supports nursing staff on the Liver Unit. Graham added: “We are really grateful to QEHB Charity for facilitating the book launch. It went really well and we are pleased to be able to honour Sally’s memory in this way.
“Lots of the doctors, nurses and other staff at the QE are featured in the book so it was great to have them join us at the launch.” The launch took place in the QE hospital main atrium from 10.30am – 3.00pm on Wednesday 5th August, and saw Sally’s parents joined by staff at the hospital and trustees from the Sally Painting Memorial fund. Colour copies of the book are available to purchase on Amazon for £12 whilst black and white copies cost £6.
