This is my crazy idea & I take full responsibility for it, counting down to 28th July 2012! 

 

I wanted a challenge for my big birthday year and landed on this one. But you can’t do the “3 Peaks” as a team of 2, so we are endeavouring to complete it as a Team (Pen, Charles, Nick, Jim, Sophie, Mike, Tina and Me) and I have suggested as a mark of our rigorous training, endurance and commitment, that we support TSUK.

TSUK have a varied membership throughout the UK – aged from 4 to 80 – all having received the life-saving gift of a major organ, all demonstrating that Transplants enable normal life, shown by competing in many sports. Every year TSUK organises a British Transplant Games where successful transplantees compete against each other. And every two years, a World Transplant Games is held where transplantees represent their country in international competition.

Each member of the UK team will be selected at the UK Games to represent GB, and then need to raise around £2,000 to cover them. Then there are the wonderful and dedicated support staff who, without their unending commitment these sorts of events would not happen. 

Therefore, I would like to raise funds to cover the expenses associated with attending the next World Transplant Games in Durban, South Africa for Neil Mcleod (2 time kidney recipient) and Declan (a recipient of a kidney in 1999), with any extra funds going towards the Transplant Sport UK Management Team (including physios and coaches) who give up their time to travel to support the UK team at the SA Games.  

 

I cannot articulate the sheer joy, elation and heart bursting happiness the call from the hospital to say there is an organ waiting gives to the recipient and their family. Life REALLY DOES change for ALL those closely associated with someone in need of a transplant, it really does and even now as I type this I have the same feeling of awe and honour that my life has been touched by the bravery of the family that agreed to the donation and the medical teams that performed the operation and continue to provide support. 

 

Life is for living and if you are fortunate sometimes you get a second chance.