Young patients return victorious from Transplant Games

Over 180 transplant recipients, donors and their families from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) returned triumphant from the British Transplant Games, winning 39 medals in total.

The 37 young patients in attendance have had a heart, lung or kidney transplant at GOSH. The 2 teams, the renal team and heart and lung team, made up our biggest teams to date at the annual event.

The British Transplant Games bring together transplant recipients, donors and their families from across the UK to celebrate life and the value of organ donation. Families travelled from as far as Northern Ireland to compete in the ‘mini-Olympics’ at Oxford this year.

Over the course of the weekend the teams secured 11 gold, 12 silver and 16 bronze medals in a range of sporting activities. The Heart and Lung team were also awarded the ‘Best Children’s Heart Team’ award.

GOSH performs hundreds of transplants every year including cornea, lung, heart, bone marrow and kidney transplants.

The GOSH transplant unit, which was set up by Professor Marc de Leval in 1988, is one of the largest specialist centres in the world. It carries out an average of 25 heart transplants each year for children and young people from across the UK. We also are the largest centre for paediatric kidney transplantation and stem cell transplantation in the UK.

Suzanne Collin, a member of the patient experience team, has managed the renal team for 17 years. The team, who first attended the Cardiff games in 1996, are funded by the Transplant Games & Recreational Fund, which receives support from GOSH Charity.

Suzanne Collin said: “We've been bringing our patients to the games for almost 30 years. They continue to be an amazing opportunity for families to come together with the transplant and organ donation community, whilst also building their confidence and fitness.”

The heart and lung team is organised by Catharine Stone and Harriet Carver, patient pathway co-ordinators for heart and lung transplant. They are made possible thanks to the Hearts and Lungs for kids fund at GOSH, which is funded by GOSH Charity.

Catharine Stone said: “Finding a donor match for children is incredibly difficult as the organ must have the compatible blood and antibody type and be the right size, which means that they often need a young donor to save their life.

"Thanks to the generosity of selfless donors and their families who support donation at such a difficult time, we are able to save the lives of children and young people on the waiting list.”