Sheffield mum follows in her father's footsteps by entering the Transplant Games 2024
22 July 2024
Rachel Bennett is following in her gold medal winning father’s footsteps by entering the British Transplant Games next month after receiving a life-changing kidney donation from her sister.
The 40-year-old mum of two from Stannington, Sheffield, is now fitter than ever after receiving the donation from ‘perfect match’ sister Emma, 44, in January 2020 at the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Rachel suffers from the same genetic kidney disease as her father, ‘Transplant Games legend’, Steve Cornell, 68, whose life was also changed by a family member when he was gifted his second kidney transplant from his wife, Rachel’s mum Stella Cornell, in 2008.
As live donors, after a short surgical recovery time both Stella and Emma live completely normal and healthy lives, unaffected by their donation.
Since discovering she had Glomerulonephritis Rachel received monitoring at the hospital. Following the birth of her second child in 2017, her eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) rapidly deteriorated and she was told that she too needed a transplant or would need to start dialysis treatment.
Following the successful operation Rachel’s levels returned to normal and she began training to compete as a swimmer, having been inspired by watching her dad win numerous gold medals in the same sport, leading the Great British team twice as Captain.
Rachel said: “My main motivation for taking part in the games is to help raise awareness of organ donation and to show that transplantation is not something to fear. Many people that receive transplants, go on to achieve amazing things, living full healthy lives.
I want people to be able to talk more openly about transplantation and organ donation. This is particularly important to me as we know through genetic testing that my daughter Zoe, has also inherited the condition and may one day have to go through the same process.”
Steve and Stella have spent decades trying to raise awareness of organ donation largely through participation in sporting events. In 1991 Steve swam the English Channel as part of the first ever transplant team. Stella coached the British Transplant Volleyball team taking gold in the World Transplant Games in both 1995 and 2001.
“My family have always been part of the Transplant Games community which brings people that have been through similar experiences together. It feels natural for me to take part in the games after my own transplant. I’ve always done a bit of swimming but since my transplant I have upped my game and now train three times a week
with ‘Chapeltown Amateur Swimming Club”.
Rachel will be competing in the women’s 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke swimming events.
Emma will also be participating in the games alongside many other donors and their families who compete in their own categories including a 5 km fun run. You can watch the games in Nottingham in August – click here for more information: Nottingham 2024 | British Transplant Games
