Hindmarsh Island mum Brooke Overall’s desperate wait for a liver transplant

A seemingly healthy young mother’s world turned upside down when a rare auto-immune condition left her fighting for life and desperately needing a new liver.

A young mother-of-two is fighting for life in the ICU awaiting an organ transplant.

Brooke Overall’s husband Matt said, who has been by her side throughout, is urging people to become organ donors.

“You can save someone’s life and there’s no better feeling in the world knowing that,” the 33-year-old said.

Diagnosed with auto-immune hepatitis in August 2023, Mrs Overall has been managing her condition for the last couple of years with medication.

But in the last two weeks she has been admitted to ICU and been transferred to the critical transplant list waiting for a liver.

“There’s a 31-year-old woman, who has an eight and three year old at home who need their mum,” Mr Overall, who lives in Hindmarsh Island, said.

“If she can’t get an organ then they might not have mum around as long as they want.”

Brooke Overall, who is in critical liver failure due to an auto-immune condition, with her husband Matt and their children Indi and Maci. Picture: Supplied

Mrs Overall is in the ICU at Flinders Medical Centre. Picture: Supplied

Mrs Overall, who is the mother to eight-year-old Indi and three-year-old Maci, was bedridden after a callisthenics competition in August 2023.

Eventually, the 31-year-old was admitted to the hospital and after around six days of tests, doctors discovered she was in liver failure caused by the auto-immune condition.

“Probably for a long time it never really hit me,” Mr Overall said.

He said because his wife was able to take medication such as steroids, she was able to continue working as a dental assistant and callisthenics coach.

“She’s such a strong person, she would push on and live normal until now,” he said.

Mrs Overall’s condition had been controlled up until two weeks ago. Picture: Supplied

Mr Overall said he thought liver failure was for people who dealt with “alcoholism”. Picture: Supplied

For Mr Overall, sitting in Flinders Medical Centre ICU with his wife, while trying to keep a “regular routine” for their two young children, he said has “rocked” him.

“It’s hard to fathom,” Mr Overall.

“She’s currently sitting here waiting for a liver.

“I always thought anything to do with a liver was for someone that had alcoholism and had abused their liver, not someone that was 29 years old, with two kids and healthy.

“I didn’t think that she’d have a liver-affected disease at that age.”

Mr Overall is urging people to become organ donors. Picture: Supplied

Mrs Overall also benefited from blood transfusions from donated blood. Picture: Supplied

Mr Overall said by being an organ donor you’re “saving people’s lives” and giving them a “second chance”.

“There’s not much you can do with your organs once you’ve passed so why not try and prolong someone else’s life,” he said.

“Your loved one who has passed, could help another family out … and they can almost feel like those people are still here within that person.”

The father also expressed the importance of blood donation. With his wife needing around 10 blood transfusions during her two-week stay in hospital, Mr Overall said she wouldn’t be here without it.

If you’d like to donate to the Overall family, you can here.