12 August 2015
A team of transplant recipients made Sheffield proud at the Westfield Health British Transplant Games which took place at the end of July.
There is further good news in that both Melissa Slaney and David Lilley have been chosen to represent Britain at the World Transplant Games in Argentina later in the month. Melissa will be competing in cycling and David will be competing in Golf, 400 metres, Discus and Shot-put. Mel had her transplant in 1996 and David had his in 2005 and both were treated at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS trust.
Hosted annually by the charity Transplant Sport UK (TSUK) and sponsored by Westfield Health, the Games attract hundreds of athletes from across the UK – all of whom have undergone a lifesaving transplant – to compete in a variety of sporting events.
The Sheffield team – Paul Morton, Melissa Slaney, Robert Raynor, Bridgetta Greenway, Michael Lord, Darren Lath and David Lilley, trained for the best part of a year in preparation for the event and it reaped great rewards!
Melissa Slaney achieved gold in Table Tennis and there was gold also for Darren Lath in Ten Pin Bowling. The Ten Pin Bowling team had even more success with Paul Morton achieving silver. David Lilley received an impressive four medals in Track and Field athletics including Silver in Javelin and Discus, and Bronze in Shot Putt and 400m. There were three bronze medals for Bridgetta Greenway in Swimming and Archery.
The 20th World Transplant Games are to be hosted by Argentina in 2015 - the first time the Games have been held in South America. The games will run from the 23rd Aug 2015 until the 30th Aug 2015.
The purpose of The World Transplant Games Federation is to visibly demonstrate the benefits of successful organ transplantation, and thereby increase organ donation rates. The games have had some significant success in doing this, in that they have achieved a 30% or better increase in organ donation rates in those countries which have hosted the Games.
Melissa Slaney said “It's only thanks to the selfless generosity of my donor 19 years ago I'm able to have the honour of representing my country at the Games!”
Mel will compete in Cycling at the World Transplant Games
David Lilley said “I am proud and overwhelmed to achieve medal success and be going to the world games…thanks to kidney donation.”
Medal success for David..next stop- World Games
Charlotte Morton, Sheffield Team Manager, said “With around 7,000 people in the UK estimated to be waiting for an organ transplant, and three people dying each day while waiting to find a match, there is still a desperate need for more people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, and importantly, to share their wishes with their family.”
Dr Simon Curran, Living Kidney Donor Lead in NGH said, “The transplant games have been a great success. Our aim is to promote kidney donation from all sources, with my specific focus being on living kidney donors. This will hopefully result in more successful transplants, less people on the waiting list and more medals in future games!”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Claire Judge, Communications Specialist
Tel: 0114 226 5033
Email: claire.judge@sth.nhs.uk