Made in Chelsea star Sam Vanderpump has revealed that he turned down his mother's offer to donate part of her liver, as he battles end-stage liver disease. The 29-year-old was diagnosed at age 28 and told he has a life expectancy of just four years without a transplant.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Sam explained that while his mother Simone was quick to volunteer as a living donor, he struggled with the idea of putting a loved one at risk. 'My first reaction is, 'No, I've got this illness. Why would I want to subject a loved one to this disease?'' he said.
Sam and his wife Alice welcomed their son Marmaduke in February, and their journey is documented in the E4 special 'Made in Chelsea: Sam Vanderpump's Story', airing tonight and tomorrow at 9pm. Despite his health struggles, Sam described the past year as 'one of the most amazing years' due to his marriage and the birth of his son.
Although Sam initially rejected his mother's offer, she was later ruled out as a donor. His brother is currently undergoing testing to see if he is a suitable candidate. Sam remains on the waiting list for a deceased donor liver, saying, 'One day I will get a call which will say, hopefully, 'we've got a liver for you.''
Alice added that becoming a mother changed her perspective, making her more determined to explore all options. 'If I ever looked back in the past and thought, 'Oh, we didn't look at an option that could have helped Sam', if something went wrong, I would've really hated myself for it,' she said.
