"It's not how hard you hit, it's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." This quote, by Rocky Balboa, was truly lived by Alison Angell, the United Kingdom's first recipient of four major organ transplants.

Alison, from Pembrokeshire, was diagnosed (at just six weeks old) with cystic fibrosis and faced medical challenges. At the age of 17, Alison received a liver transplant, then a heart and lung transplant, followed by a kidney transplant in 2006, donated by her father David.

Allison was instrumental in campaigning for the organ donation law changes, and in strengthening the cause of presumed consent in the United Kingdom. Alison’s determination and campaigning were widely acknowledged and her efforts were recognized nationally when in 2010, she was presented with the Pride of Britain Award.

In an interesting twist, Alison was not only a recipient but also a donor. Her healthy heart was donated to David Hamilton who lived for another 16 years because of her generous donation.

Alison passed away at the age of 46 on December 18, 2024. Her legacy of bravery, compassion, and activism lives on, and she will always be remembered for “rewriting the book” on how to survive with cystic fibrosis, said her father, David John.