A family has raised £100,000 for life-saving equipment at a Birmingham hospital in memory of an island liver transplant patient.

Ann Fox underwent a liver transplant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in April 2014. In order to thank staff at the hospital for her care, Ann and her husband, Tony, organised a ball at the Empress Hotel in Douglas to raise money for QEHB Charity’s Liver Foundation.

Sadly, Ann was in hospital at the time of the ball and tragically died just a few days later

Since she died, Ann’s family have continuously fund-raised for the charity, and have now reached £100,000.

Funding from the Ann Fox Foundation made possible the purchase of life-saving machine in the liver department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The OrganOx machine helps to clean and oxygenate a donated liver, outside of the body, keeping the liver in a better condition for longer, increasing the length of time that surgeons have to perform a transplant.

Due to her family’s fundraising, Ann’s legacy has lived on and has significantly changed the life of patient, Gemma Jolly and her family.

Similarly to Ann, Gemma was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis in 1997, and following the birth of her children George and Harrison, her liver began to fail.

She had a liver transplant in May 2016 but after six months things started to go wrong and in October last year, Gemma was admitted to hospital with severe jaundice.

A second transplant operation took place the following month. Gemma’s surgery was a great success and she was up out of bed and sitting in her chair within two hours of waking up.

She said: ’It’s good to be able to plan for the future again; life goes on hold when you’re unwell. We’re starting to plan a nice holiday abroad with the boys; they deserve it after everything they’ve been through.’

Her husband Mike said: ’We’re both incredibly grateful for the fundraising that allowed Gem to have an operation that she otherwise wouldn’t have had.’

Gemma added: ’From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you. I’ve got my life back, and my boys have got their mum back.’

Tony Fox said Ann’s legacy will live on in the long and fulfilling lives of those she has been able to help.

To support liver patients like Gemma, visit: hospitalcharity.org/liverfoundationuk