I'm unfairly judged due to health condition

A MAN who had a lifesaving liver transplant has spoken out about being judged and labelled an addict - despite his condition being caused by a rare disease.

- By DYLAN HAYWARD

LIVER DISEASE PATIENT SAYS MANY THINK HE CAUSED ILLNESS

Ben Jeszka, 32, said strangers, potential employers and even people close to him have made assumptions about his health, with many believing he caused his own illness through addiction.

Ben, pictured, was diagnosed in January 2022 with primary sclerosing cholangitis - a rare autoimmune liver disease. In April 2024, he had a transplant that saved his life.

He said he has been labelled a “liar,” “abuser” and a “waste of space”, and believes the judgment has contributed to the breakdown of close relationships and repeated job rejections.

“People think I’m an addict,” Ben said. “They hear ‘liver disease’ and automatically assume I've done it to myself.