Despite the unmistakably English sense of humour and accent, expat Liz Schick could hardly get closer to being a natural-born Swiss woman. But you would never guess what makes her so much a part of this country - or rather, what makes it a part of her.Liz has lived in the Swiss alps since the age of 18, she is married to a Swiss man, has two half-Swiss children, speaks the local language fluently, is a winter-sport nut and runs a ski hire business.
But there is something else that makes Liz even more a part of this country, or rather - that makes it a part of her. Ten years ago she was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and she received a new liver from a Swiss donor.
The experience has completely changed her life, but surprisingly she says, not for the worse.
Of course the fit young mother must have gone though times unimaginable for most of us as she spent nine long months on the organ donor list waiting for The Call. She faced the possibility of death. She seriously wondered what her children’s futures would be like without her.
Up until the time her illness was discovered, Liz had been living a fairy-tale life in the divinely peaceful ski village of Anzere. She was married to the gorgeous man she met as a teenager on a ski holiday, they had a son and a daughter together, lived in a chalet in the alps, ran their own business, and enjoyed the wonderfully wholesome lifestyle that the region offered.
Even Liz says she thought it was too good to be true.
It was on a trip back to England for a holiday that she was suddenly overwhelmed by an intense pain in her abdomen. She was hospitalised and underwent a CT scan, the results of which showed Liz’s liver was completely infested with tumours.
But since her transplant operation this incredible woman has made a great recovery and gone on to lead the most amazing life, achieving remarkable personal goals, and devoting untold time and energy to helping others.
Liz says a cameraman once told her that if she didn’t look like she did she wouldn’t get what she wanted. While this was probably just a mildly flirty/ sexist remark, it could also be taken another way. Because what Liz really wants is to promote awareness of the benefits of transplants. And she is certainly a shining example herself of the wonderful results that are possible. Liz is a picture of health: athletic, attractive and full of life and humour. In fact the only tell-tale signs of her life-saving operation are a 12 inch scar across her abdomen, and the daily dose of anti-rejection drugs she has to take.
The cameraman’s remark also, of course, completely underrates the enormous amount of work and effort that Liz has put into her transplant projects.
Liz says providing the opportunity for transplant children to meet and make friends with others in the same boat helps them to accept and live with their situation. For many children at camp, it is their first opportunity to run, play and have fun like any ‘normal’ child, she says. The kids take part in activities such as snowboarding, skiing, dog sledding and paragliding, which is beneficial for their health, and does wonders for their confidence and view on life.
Liz also wants to show these children and people on transplant lists that there is life after transplantation. “We can have dreams too and achieve many things,” she says.
Liz herself has in fact become even more sports-mad since her operation, competing in the World Transplant Games all over the globe (she plays for the Swiss team as she has a Swiss liver), and taking on monstrous feats, such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The latter was a particularly important personal goal for Liz. She says she felt that her body had let her down when she became ill, but on reaching the summit she was able to find forgiveness - “I made peace with my body again at 5895m!”
Liz says she also felt an even greater sense of closeness with her donor after this astounding physical accomplishment, just like after the many others she has achieved since. “I feel like I owe my donor, I think he would be proud of what we do together.”
Although she knows very little about him, Liz simply says he is her best friend.
“I thank him every day.”
For more information on TACKERS see http://www.tackers.org/.
Anna Tuson - expatica 2008
