Connor Armstrong, a 22-year-old trainee CNC operator from Oldbury, was just 15 when he received a life-changing diagnosis of Seronegative Autoimmune Hepatitis (SnAIH), a rare chronic liver disease. He is now raising money for the British Liver Trust by taking part in the Birmingham Black Country Half Marathon on July 4.
A Shocking Diagnosis at 15
Connor described the moment he learned of his condition: "It was a shock, because you don't know at the time how serious it could be." He was studying for his GCSEs when symptoms emerged, including jaundice, loss of appetite, and feeling unwell. "I felt quite ill at the time and I wasn't eating really. I lost all my appetite. I went jaundice so the skin was a bit yellow, the whites of my eyes and everything," he said.
SnAIH is a form of autoimmune hepatitis where the body's immune system attacks liver cells. According to the NHS, if left untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis and increase the risk of liver cancer.
Balancing Health and School
Connor struggled to manage hospital visits alongside exam revision. "I'd be in and out of the hospital while trying to revise for my GCSEs. It was just hard to balance everything at the time," he recalled. Initially, he required multiple medications, including steroids, which caused side effects like increased appetite. "At the start, because some of the medication were steroids, it makes you have an appetite. I was very self conscious at the start," he added.
Now, Connor takes only one medication, Azathioprine, which suppresses his immune system to prevent it from attacking his liver. He expects to remain on this treatment indefinitely.
Support from Charity and Running for a Cause
Connor received support from the Children's Liver Disease Foundation, which later merged with the British Liver Trust. He said: "I think it would have been a lot tougher to understand everything and grasp how serious it could have been [without the organisation]."
Dan Painter, public fundraising manager at British Liver Trust, commented: "As a charity, we are leading the fight against liver disease and liver cancer. We reach over two million people each year; providing information and support to patients and families and providing vital advice to help people improve their liver health. But there is still so much to be done. Liver disease is the only major disease in the UK where death rates are rising, and we want to change that. It’s brilliant that Connor is now fit and well enough to take on this challenge for us. We’re very grateful for his support and wish him all the best for the day."
Connor, a keen runner and footballer, is looking forward to the half marathon challenge. "At the start it was really hard," he said of his diagnosis. "Obviously it was something new. I didn't have any knowledge of it at all." Despite the difficulties, he feels his medication has "helped for the better" and he now lives life to the full, working in engineering.
