The Liver Spot | Wednesdays 5:30pm to 7:00pm+ Pacific 

The Liver Spot is a LifeRing Focus Meeting for people in recovery who are also diagnosed with related medical conditions. Now, this might sound grim, because honestly, it is. But the meeting is not. The Liver Spot is a LifeRing specialty meeting built on the “How Was Your Week” (HWYW) check-in  format for people in recovery who have also been diagnosed with health issues resulting from substance use disorders. The Liver Spot weekly meeting is not limited to those with medical conditions—our meeting is open to all. 

The Liver Spot is the first of its kind. It was introduced on December 23, 2020, in response to a LifeRing Convenor asking, “Will someone please start a liver transplant meeting? I can’t understand a word they're talking about.” 

We’re an active and engaged community who join together to support our own recovery and the recovery of others. Many of our participants are referred by their physicians and treatment specialists. The Liver Spot has the attention of medical providers including Stanford, UCSF, Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic. It’s common for people to join this meeting from their hospital beds. 

This LifeRing focus meeting supports an average of 35 people every week with a core group of about 30. We've made it through 5 losses, 1 slip, 11 transplants, and countless endoscopies. More than a dozen of our group have successfully navigated the rigorous National Liver Review Board to achieve and maintain a spot on the highly competitive National Liver Transplant Waitlist. (Hint: Family and Cheerfulness.)  We are all fully aware that we have a 77.7% chance of receiving a transplant once on the list, a 10% chance of dying within a year of the transplant, and 30% chance we won’t make it to 5 years. But there is hope. 

Many of us have improved our MELD score through SUD recovery and no longer qualify for a transplant. This is a huge win!

Support for surviving the wait and the aftershock is what makes the Liver Spot so unique. We share our recovery journeys from a patient’s perspective with crosstalk from a patient’s perspective. Participants voted to expand our core time by 30 minutes to allow time for more shares and more comprehensive feedback. It’s not unusual for this meeting to run for two and a half hours. Who knew liver failure could be this much fun? 

The Liver Spot is a safe and compassionate space to share stories and share hope. Shares and crosstalk are graphic in nature, so The Liver Spot may not be for everyone, but it is open to everyone. If nothing else, this meeting serves as a really sobering experience for people who have never considered the long-term effects of drinking. Emotions run high and camaraderie is deep. And we all get a little misty-eyed when a loved-one joins to learn what they can do to help. 

The Liver Spot is a LifeRing focus meeting for people in recovery who are also diagnosed with related medical conditions.We offer peer support from a patient's perspective. 
Wednesdays from 5:30pm to 7:00pm Pacific
Zoom Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 856 0614 8917 • Passcode: 162086

Charmaine, John, Kirk, Benji and Pat
you are missed

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For other ways you can contribute to LifeRing, please consider being a LifeRing Volunteer or a LifeRing Convenor.