'I was laughed at after jaundice turned me yellow'

A woman diagnosed with a rare autoimmune liver disease says being laughed at after her skin turned yellow made living with the condition even more difficult.

Lisa Woodcock, 42, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a disease which, if left untreated, can destroy bile ducts and cause liver failure.

She has needed not just one, but two liver transplants and has become an inspiration to thousands of people in a similar situation, as well as winning Lorraine's Woman of the Year in 2023.

However, she said the reaction of some members of the public to her jaundice was one of the most emotionally challenging aspects of her illness.

"When you notice people staring at you and then their eye contact moving away the minute you catch their eye, people sniggering if they see you on a train - it does start to play on your mind," she said.

"You are already exhausted from being poorly so to then look different and people start noticing things - it does become upsetting after a while.

"You can be as strong as you like but it is still going to upset you at some point."

Lisa was diagnosed after undergoing tests for severe itching in 2020. Treatment did not work, and she had her first liver transplant in 2021.

Her symptoms returned a year later, and her health again declined dramatically.

Reflecting on the time leading up to her second transplant in 2024, she said: "Jaundice turned me luminous yellow, and people were staring.

"I was laughed at on the train by a couple in their early twenties, which made me not want to go out at all."

Justin, her husband, said: "People would stare at Lisa and take pictures on their phones.

"Seeing that side of the human race was very depressing, and when I was at work, I would turn myself inside out, wondering whether Lisa was experiencing that with no support.

"Eventually she avoided going out in public altogether."

Lisa is now doing well and helps the British Liver Trust to highlight the symptoms of liver disease, like jaundice, to increase understanding and kindness.

"There are so many assumptions around liver disease, but it doesn't matter why you have it; nobody should feel ostracised or guilty because of it," she said.

Pamela Healy, OBE, chief executive of the charity, said: "Too often, a lack of awareness leads to delayed diagnosis and unequal access to specialist care.

"We need greater understanding, earlier diagnosis and sustained investment in research to ensure no one living with a rare liver condition is left behind."

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