E4’s Made in Chelsea star Sam Vanderpump has turned his personal health battle into a mission to help others. Thousands of people in the UK are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and the 28-year-old entrepreneur and reality TV favourite has vowed to raise awareness for organ donation after receiving devastating news that he himself will need a life-saving liver transplant.
This week on Made in Chelsea, viewers saw Sam hosting a special gala event attended by castmates and friends to support the newly re-launched NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) Charity, which supports the NHS’s life-saving blood, organ, stem cell and tissue donation work – of which Sam is now an ambassador.
The gala gave Sam the chance to highlight the urgent need for more people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register, show his support for the charity, and motivate his family and friends to do the same. It also provided much-needed focus and positivity at a challenging time in his life.
Born with liver and kidney disease, Sam lived largely symptom-free until December 2024, when a bout of flu triggered life-threatening organ failure caused by sepsis.
“I thought I was going to die,” said Sam. “My body was shutting down, and it was terrifying. You never think something as simple as the flu could lead to a near-death experience.”
Sam’s fiancée, model Alice Yaxley, acted quickly when his condition worsened, calling an ambulance that doctors say saved his life.
“If Alice hadn’t called when she did, I may not be here today,” Sam added. “It’s scary to think that could have been the end for me.”
After intensive hospital treatment, Sam was able to return home just in time for Christmas. Now undergoing assessment to determine whether he is eligible for a liver transplant, Sam says the experience has transformed his outlook.
“When something like this happens, it puts everything into perspective. I’ve been told by clinicians that without a transplant, I may not be here in four or five years. It would mean so much to receive a transplant. I’ve never been more determined to get healthy and make the most of every day.”
Kirsty Thomson, Head of NHS Blood and Transplant Charity, said:
“Thanks to Sam, Alice and others like them who choose to support the NHSBT Charity, we can build on the care and support for patients, donors and their families provided by NHSBT and its partners.
“Support for the Charity helps colleagues carry out more ground-breaking research, it funds new facilities and equipment and means we can expand vital services and trial additional support and education programmes which all goes over and above what the NHS provides. We are so thankful to Sam for wanting to help others when he is himself facing such a difficult time.”
The UK’s transplant waiting list has reached its highest level on record, with around 8,000 people currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, including more than 600 in need of a liver.
