CHRISTMAS is a time for giving.

And 25 years ago David Green was given the best present he could have hoped for – the liver transplant which would save his life.

David had become so ill his family were told to expect the worst.

He was on a visit to the transplant clinic at King’s College Hospital in London on December 8, 1993 when his life changed forever.

David, now 64, was just 14 when he became ill.

Doctors were unable to find out what was wrong and he spent six months in hospital after suffering liver damage and septicaemia.

It is now thought David, of Mary Warner Way, Ardleigh, contracted a virus which caused irreparable scarring to his liver.

Told he would not live until he was 21, he survived by taking steroids and medication.

The medication seemed to be working until in 1988 an itch while playing cricket left David contacting the doctors.

Wife June said: “He was at cricket when he felt a bit itchy. He went to the doctors and they said it was his blood and liver again.

“He was back and forwards to the hospital. Despite being ill he was still going to work – he didn’t want to give up work.

“He became quite ill in October. Then in December he had a haemorrhage. It was during the ambulance strike and we had to have the army ambulance and a police escort to get to hospital.

“It was said there was nothing that could be done for him. I contacted King's and they said to get him there as soon as possible.”

The doctors saved David’s life and he was able to return home, but he was told he would have to have a transplant.

A year later the family went to meet the transplant specialists at the hospital before David could go on the list.

“We had gone to meet the coordinators and get a bleeper,” June said.

“They showed us around and then one of them came into the room and said we have got something to tell you.

“I thought they were going to say he couldn’t have a transplant.

“But they told us there was a liver which had come in and because David was so ill he had a chance of having it.

“Because it was Christmas a lot of people don’t want to have operations.

“We had gone up to London to see the Christmas lights too but never got to see them.

"It was a case of being in the right place at the right time.”

David went into surgery at 5am in the morning and came out 12 hours later with a new liver.

He spent Christmas in hospital. The family travelled down to the hospital so he could see youngest son Kurt open his presents.

“The children were young and our little boy asked where we had got the liver from – had it come from Sainsbury’s or Tesco,” June said.

“He would never have seen that Christmas if he had not had a transplant.”

But it wasn’t plain sailing for David and his body reacted negatively to the transplant – but luckily for the family he did not need any more operations.

As he was off long term sick for a year David had to find a new job after recovering.

He was offered a job at R Stewart Haulage in Manningtree.

The transplant meant David was able to see his six children – Shaun, Spencer, Scott, Justin, Michaela and Kurt – grow up.

June added: “A lot of people didn’t believe so much in transplants back in those days but they do now.

“I think everybody deserves a chance - a lot of people don’t get it.

“I can’t see why anybody wouldn’t want to be a donor. Sometimes you can save two or three people a chance.

“In David’s case we don’t know if anyone else benefitted. We are so grateful to the family of the person who donated for us.

"We are also so thankful to the surgeons who saved his life.

“David was lucky enough to see all of his children grow up and get married. He got to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding in in Dominican Republic.

“We now have ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren.”

Over the years the family have held fundraisers for the liver unit at King's College Hospital. It started with daughter Michaela's skydive in Ipswich after her 16th birthday.

Grandchildren Mia, Jack and Sienna will hold a fundraiser for the unit at Dedham Primary School this week.

The family will also mark 25 years since his transplant with a party this weekend.