At 25 years old, Kieran Cooper from Cheshire, England, was shocked to wake up with bright yellow skin after feeling unwell the night before. Born with biliary atresia, a rare condition that affects the bile ducts in newborns, Kieran had already undergone a liver transplant as a baby. But after his health suddenly declined earlier this year, the jaundice returned more severely than ever, leaving him joking that he looked like “Bart Simpson.”

His mother, Kerry, said the family rushed him to the hospital, where he spent five weeks receiving treatment, including time in intensive care. Doctors had placed Kieran on a liver transplant waiting list in 2023 after complications developed years after his first transplant. As his condition worsened, the buildup of bilirubin caused his skin and eyes to turn an intense shade of yellow, making him feel self-conscious whenever he left the hospital.

In February 2026, Kieran received a second liver transplant that ultimately saved his life. He said his skin returned to its normal color almost immediately after the operation, but the recovery was far from easy. He had to relearn how to walk, continues to attend hospital appointments every six weeks, and must take medication for the rest of his life to protect his new liver.

Now recovering, Kieran is sharing his story to raise awareness of biliary atresia and encourage others not to ignore serious symptoms like persistent jaundice. Grateful to be alive after what he describes as “hell and back,” he hopes his experience will help others recognize the importance of early diagnosis, organ donation, and life-saving transplants.