Hi, I have been selected to represent Great Britain in the World Transplant Games this August. It is being held in Newcastle, where more than seventy countries will be in attendance, competing in more than fifteen sporting events.

The World Transplant Games are a biannual event, and this will be the first time I am in attendance. The Games aim is to raise awareness for organ donation and to encourage transplant recipients to lead an active lifestyle.

Since my childhood, I was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease, caused by bladder reflux, and is a condition in which urine flows backward from the bladder to one or both ureters and sometimes to the kidneys.

Over time it worsened, meaning I was in and out of hospital. This resulted in me being put back several years at school.

Unfortunately, at the time of my GCSE’s, my condition worsened. I had dialysis three times a week for four hours at a time. This led to me failing my GCSE’s and not having much of a social life. I couldn’t go out with friends as I didn’t have the energy to do so.

As I left school without any qualifications I had to start a Level One course at college, working my way up to a Level 3 in Film and TV.

I was on dialysis for two and half years. On 22nd December 2013 I was getting ready to go to the hospital for my dialysis treatment, but just before I was about to leave, I received a phone call from Oxford Hospital. They let me know they may have found a potential kidney for me. So, off I went to the hospital where I had an range of tests done and an up to date heath check to see if the kidney was a match.

At 7pm the nurse came into my room and told me the operation was going ahead. It was the best Christmas present I could have ever asked for. I was free to live a normal life again.

Shortly after my transplant, my youth worker introduced me to the British Transplant Games. I attended my first games in Bolton in 2014. The games allowed me to meet and interact with people who had gone through a similar experience to me. My college friends didn’t understand what I was going through, so it was nice to meet people who did.

I was introduced to the European Games in Finland in 2016. I represented Great Britain and won two Bronze medals. They were in darts and pétanque. In Italy in 2018, I won two gold medals in pétanque.

I need to raise £1000, to cover the costs of my kit, equipment, accommodation, travel expenses and training costs. It would mean a lot my donor and I. I would love to make his family proud by competing for our country to try and win a Gold Medal. If you could please help to support me I would be forever grateful.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story!