In March 2003, my daughter got really sick and went into the hospital, and they discovered she had advanced liver disease at that point, although she had no symptoms prior to that. I've learned a lot about liver disease since then.

Many people think if you need a new liver, it is because you abused your body, so they don't feel sorry for people. But that is not true. Many people pick up hepatitis and they don't know why, but it can damage your liver permanently. I think more people would be organ donors if they knew that.

Someone has to die for someone to get a liver, so most people who need them don't get them. I didn't realize all that at the time, and it never occurred to me that she wasn't going to get a transplant until it was all over.

About 98 percent of villagers first come to me when they get sick. They only go to a county hospital when I can't cure their illness.

The hospital room was as cold as dead skin, the hallway crowded with lost souls and reeking of illness.

I didn't want my daughter brought up by nannies, and I didn't want her to feel I wasn't around.