We are fundraising to take the Southampton Children's Hospital transplant sports team, the Organators, to the British Transplant Games in Leeds in 2022. Also, to support the work of the PEEER project which supports paediatric transplant patients. Life is not easy for children with chronic health conditions. They sometimes feel isolated, missing long periods of schooling and missing the chance to make firm friendships during their childhood. PEEER gives them opportunities to have fun, make friends and improve their mental wellbeing.

James' transplant journey started with a rare form of degenerative heart disease. Thankfully he received a heart transplant in 2014 at the age of four. Unfortunately, he had to wait so long that his kidneys went into failure and never recovered. James received excellent care at Southampton Children's Hospital, where he spent 18 months on haemo-dialysis. In 2016, his mother donated a kidney to James at the Evelina Children's Hospital. He continued his recovery on home ground at Southampton Children's Hospital. A new kidney made James feel much better. 

However, as our transplant specialist nurses likes to say, "Transplant is a treatment, not a cure." People with transplants must take immunosuppressants for the rest of their lives to prevent rejection. But these have side effects and make them more prone to illness and infection. 

Sadly, in 2018-19, James spent a whole year in hospital with life-threatening illness. His doctors, including Team Nephronia leader Dr Shuman Haq, and the other nephrologists, cardiologists, ICU and HDU specialists, as well as the team of G4 SUN ward, worked tirelessly to get to the root of the problem - another very rare illness, and make him better again.

We are thrilled that for the last two years, James has been able to go to school, join his local football team, go to scouts and Stagecoach. In other words, he's enjoying a full and happy life. 

Please support Team Nephronia and David's efforts in cycling 100 miles. Many thanks,

David, Kate, and James Lewis