A STUDENT is determined to show she has a positive future after undergoing a life-saving operation.

Sophie Thackray was six months into an art and design course at Hartlepool College of Further Education when she was struck down by health problems.

The 25-year-old was forced to abandon her studies two years ago after a 10cm tumour was discovered inside her liver but thankfully it was not cancerous.

However, the tumour considered to grow and her health deteriorated resulting in her being placed in an induced coma while a search was launched to trace a new liver.

Eventually a match was found from a 74-year-old and after some initial problems in the first few hours after the surgery the transplant has been a success.

Two years after her illness struck she has returned to college to continue her training to pass a teaching qualification.

She said: “After being on life support and getting a transplant, you do tend to look at things differently. Studying was probably the last thing on my mind at the time, but the College were in constant contact and I even had lecturers visiting me at the Freeman Hospital up in Newcastle.

“My course was placed on hold, and I was able to return last year and finish it. I got a merit, and I’m now on a course which allows me to teach other art & design students. I just felt I needed to give something back to the College, and I’m looking forward to getting started.”

The student – who specialises in illustration and graphic design – is now able to lead a normal lifestyle, and has regular checks with specialists to make sure everything is in order.

She added: “I don’t recall much about the transplant really, I just knew I was very ill and I’ve been told it got to the stage where things weren’t looking good. I was put to the top of the emergency transplant list, and within seven hours they had found a match from a 74-year-old lady.

“All I know is her age, and that she was from the North East. I’ve wanted to write to her family through the organ donation people and thank them, to let them know how grateful I am for what I’ve been given. But every time I’ve picked up the pen, I’ve not known what to write. Maybe one day I will find the words.

“That donation saved my life, because if the wait was any longer it would have been too late.”