Elena Baltacha 1983-2014 - RIP

Agreed. Unbearably sad. Retires. Gets Married. Diganosed with Cancer. And dies. All within 6 months.

An awful business which makes me feel guilty at the survival of my relatively under-achieving self.

Her underlying condition, primary sclerosing cholangitis, diagnosed in her about a decade ago, carries a 10-15% risk of 'liver cancer' - specifically cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma, once established, is pretty much untreatable, such that the only worthwhile approach in people with the predisposition is a prophylactic liver transplant.

What is not known is whether (a) she was offered this and declined, (b) she was on a waiting list or (c) this was not considered. (a) would have been a private matter for her, and I hope and trust that (c) can be discounted.

The massive wider tragedy would be (b) as a live donor can give part of a liver, without penalty to themselves beyond the risk of the donation procedure. I have been on the organ donor register for decades, yet this is geared to the harvesting of organs when I die, not to my being able to contribute while still alive. This is what needs to change. As well as part of a liver, live donors can give one kidney and, of course, serial donations of bone marrow.

Fraser