Last weekend I competed in the British Transplant Games, held in Sheffield. Not many people know about these games (I didn't until I'd had a kidney transplant); they are held each year at a different UK venue and include track & field, team sports and individual sports. I entered the tennis (silver medal!), 5 a side soccer/football (gold medal!), 100m (last!), and 200m (not last!).
Anyway the whole point of the games is to raise awareness of both the benefits of transplants and the need for more donors. Several people die each day while waiting for a transplant. I was fortunate enough to have family who were willing and able to give me a kidney, but not everyone is so lucky.
I met a lot of people with a lot of different stories, some who are still going strong decades after transplants and others whose transplanted organs are beginning to fail or are having other health problems.
I enjoy the community aspect of the games, but for me the transplant has enabled me to get back to normality, though I have twice-daily anti-rejection medication to serve as a reminder.
Where was I? Oh yes, Vehicle Vendetta will be live soon! Right now I'm in Liverpool. Back to London on Monday.
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