Latest news with #BritishTransplantGames
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Oldest competitor at Transplant Games, 89, thanks wife for kidney
"I've no intention of giving up just yet," says Mike Gibbons, the oldest competitor at the World Transplant Games. "But I am going to have to accept that time isn't on my side and someday I will have to curb my enthusiasm," the 89-year-old from North Yorkshire concedes. Mr Gibbons has been taking part in the annual competition since 2008 - a year after his wife Ann donated one of her kidneys to him. He recently won three silver medals and a gold in squash and athletics at the British Transplant Games in Oxford and will be competing in the under-90s age group - the oldest category there is - at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany, on Sunday. "I have accumulated many medals over the years," says Mr Gibbons, from Draughton, near Skipton. "I accept that at my age, I don't have many competitors, so sometimes I get a medal because I am the only one - but I treasure them nonetheless." His wife Ann now lives in a care home and suffers from dementia but Mr Gibbons carries a picture of them together at every race. The former broadcast technician says: "I hang it around my neck when I attend the games so she's always with me. "She was well-known and loved the Games. People always ask after her. "It's another way of honouring the concept of donation - that someone gives an organ, you never forget their gift." He developed kidney failure when he was 55 and was put on dialysis in 2005. "When I was first diagnosed it came as a bombshell," Mr Gibbons recalls. He was put on a transplant waiting list but there was "no guarantee of a successful outcome" and Ann shared his feeling that he was "only half alive". Mr Gibbons was initially against Ann donating her kidney but in 2007 he "succumbed to his wife's earnest desire" for her to do so. The surgery took place in Bradford and was a success. "I was reborn and I would like to think Ann has peace of mind knowing that our lives can be as one again. "I'm here only by the grace of God of her donation." Mr Gibbons turns 90 next year and has booked a trip to the Antarctic to celebrate."I'm very into mountaineering and wild places, so it's somewhere different. "I've always wanted to go so I have booked it to commemorate my 'big' birthday."Mr Gibbons also wants to thank the medical and nursing team at St Luke's Hospital's renal unit, part of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust."Organ donation is wonderful," he says. "It's a life-saving and life changing operation and has given me 18 more years of life." He adds: "I think about it nearly every day, especially now with Ann's situation. I owe her my life and I am truly grateful." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'I was dying and without a transplant that would've been the end for me'
A man from Cardiff had an incredible meeting with the family of the 20-year-old boy who's liver he was given during a lifesaving transplant four years ago. Ray Sherry, 61, came face-to-face with the family a couple of weeks ago when they came to support him at the British Transplant Games. "There was this instant connection when I saw them. It was just a really uplifting and happy moment because they saw that in the tragedy of losing their son someone had gone on to do something good with their life," Ray said. Ray, who works for Natural Resources Wales, found out he had primary sclerosing cholangitis in 2005 and spent 16 years suffering with the symptoms of a failing liver knowing one day he would require a full liver transplant. READ MORE: Police issue statement over Merthyr Tydfil 'stabbing' that saw road closed READ MORE: The Welsh school with the best A level results in the UK Towards the end of 2020 Ray's symptoms got worse and he began suffering with severe jaundice. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here. "My condition was deteriorating, effectively I was dying and without a transplant that would've been the end for me." After having a transplant assessment and experiencing one false alarm where he spent all day in London waiting for a transplant, Ray received the phone call which would change his life on March 3, 2021 at half seven in the morning. Within an hour he was in an ambulance and on his way up to the Royal Free Hospital in London and later that evening he found out everything was going as planned and his new liver was on its way from a hospital in Leeds by road. When the liver arrived Ray went down for his transplant in the early hours of the morning. "I said a prayer and me and the coordinator walked down to the operating theatre. I've never felt so elevated in my life as when I was walking down to the operating theatre, it was almost as if I was floating," he remembered. When he came around Ray had a new liver alongside a 22-inch scar and 37 staples in his abdomen. The operation had gone smoothly but he hadn't been prepared from the emotions he would feel when he learned a bit more about his donor. Ray was told by hospital staff that his donor had been a 20-year-old man and his organs had helped seven other people. He said: "That was it, I was in pieces. I can't explain it to this day but I had this immediate huge sense of loss inside me. Instead of feeling elevated, uplifted and grateful I just felt like I'd lost a really close friend or a really close family member. "I was gutted and in absolute pieces. I felt the pain, distress and anguish that he went through prior to him passing away. It was just so emotional." Ray admitted it took him a while to come to terms with the grief he felt for a young man he had never met before. He continued: "I had come to accept that I couldn't do anything about my donor but I needed to do the best with my life and my second chance." The organ transplant hospital were later able to put him in contact with his donor's family and they began to speak over email. "That continued for a little while and then when I went to my first British Transplant Games in 2022 they were there but they weren't quite ready to meet me and I wasn't sure whether I was either." Over the next three years they continued speaking and a couple of weeks ago they finally got to meet face-to-face when the family came to support Ray at the British Transplant Games in Oxfordshire. Ray said: "I spotted them a mile away. There was this instant connection when I saw them and we said hello. "It wasn't emotional but it was a very uplifting and happy moment because they saw that in the tragedy of losing their son someone had gone on to do something good with their life. "It was a fantastic meeting, we got on incredibly well, we had a bit of a laugh and we went for dinner at a local pub. We spent three hours there chatting about everything, anything and nothing and it was a brilliant time. Ray explained that he was able to learn more about his donor and discovered that he was a really good sportsman. He said: "His life was a tragic loss and he was in the prime of his life. I found out more about him and how talented he was, especially at sport, his parents were incredibly proud of him." "They were really delighted that I'd gone on to do something positive after the tragedy of losing their son." Last year, Ray picked up a silver and a bronze in the men's cycling at the British Transplant Games which gave him automatic selection for the Great Britain World Transplant Games cycling team in Dresden this year. He is now travelling to Germany for the event which will take place between August 17 and 24. He will be competing for GB in three races - a 10km individual time trial, a three-person time trial and a 30km road race. "I'm really looking forward to it, I've been working on it for three years slowly trying to get better and better," added Ray.
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Health
- Wales Online
'I was dying and without a transplant that would've been the end for me'
'I was dying and without a transplant that would've been the end for me' GB cyclist Ray Sherry meets the family of the donor who saved his life Ray (middle) will race with Jim Clark and Jo Kelly at the World Transplant Games next week (Image: Ray Sherry) A man from Cardiff had an incredible meeting with the family of the 20-year-old boy who's liver he was given during a lifesaving transplant four years ago. Ray Sherry, 61, came face-to-face with the family a couple of weeks ago when they came to support him at the British Transplant Games. "There was this instant connection when I saw them. It was just a really uplifting and happy moment because they saw that in the tragedy of losing their son someone had gone on to do something good with their life," Ray said. Ray, who works for Natural Resources Wales, found out he had primary sclerosing cholangitis in 2005 and spent 16 years suffering with the symptoms of a failing liver knowing one day he would require a full liver transplant. Towards the end of 2020 Ray's symptoms got worse and he began suffering with severe jaundice. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here . "My condition was deteriorating, effectively I was dying and without a transplant that would've been the end for me." Ray said he'd been cycling around Cardiff looking like a "tangerine man" before his vital transplant (Image: Ray Sherry) Article continues below After having a transplant assessment and experiencing one false alarm where he spent all day in London waiting for a transplant, Ray received the phone call which would change his life on March 3, 2021 at half seven in the morning. Within an hour he was in an ambulance and on his way up to the Royal Free Hospital in London and later that evening he found out everything was going as planned and his new liver was on its way from a hospital in Leeds by road. When the liver arrived Ray went down for his transplant in the early hours of the morning. "I said a prayer and me and the coordinator walked down to the operating theatre. I've never felt so elevated in my life as when I was walking down to the operating theatre, it was almost as if I was floating," he remembered. When he came around Ray had a new liver alongside a 22-inch scar and 37 staples in his abdomen. The operation had gone smoothly but he hadn't been prepared from the emotions he would feel when he learned a bit more about his donor. Ray was told by hospital staff that his donor had been a 20-year-old man and his organs had helped seven other people. He said: "That was it, I was in pieces. I can't explain it to this day but I had this immediate huge sense of loss inside me. Instead of feeling elevated, uplifted and grateful I just felt like I'd lost a really close friend or a really close family member. "I was gutted and in absolute pieces. I felt the pain, distress and anguish that he went through prior to him passing away. It was just so emotional." Ray admitted it took him a while to come to terms with the grief he felt for a young man he had never met before. He continued: "I had come to accept that I couldn't do anything about my donor but I needed to do the best with my life and my second chance." The organ transplant hospital were later able to put him in contact with his donor's family and they began to speak over email. "That continued for a little while and then when I went to my first British Transplant Games in 2022 they were there but they weren't quite ready to meet me and I wasn't sure whether I was either." Over the next three years they continued speaking and a couple of weeks ago they finally got to meet face-to-face when the family came to support Ray at the British Transplant Games in Oxfordshire. Ray said: "I spotted them a mile away. There was this instant connection when I saw them and we said hello. "It wasn't emotional but it was a very uplifting and happy moment because they saw that in the tragedy of losing their son someone had gone on to do something good with their life. "It was a fantastic meeting, we got on incredibly well, we had a bit of a laugh and we went for dinner at a local pub. We spent three hours there chatting about everything, anything and nothing and it was a brilliant time. Ray will have the names of his donor's family on his bike (Image: Ray Sherry) Ray explained that he was able to learn more about his donor and discovered that he was a really good sportsman. He said: "His life was a tragic loss and he was in the prime of his life. I found out more about him and how talented he was, especially at sport, his parents were incredibly proud of him." "They were really delighted that I'd gone on to do something positive after the tragedy of losing their son." Last year, Ray picked up a silver and a bronze in the men's cycling at the British Transplant Games which gave him automatic selection for the Great Britain World Transplant Games cycling team in Dresden this year. He is now travelling to Germany for the event which will take place between August 17 and 24. He will be competing for GB in three races - a 10km individual time trial, a three-person time trial and a 30km road race. "I'm really looking forward to it, I've been working on it for three years slowly trying to get better and better," added Ray. Article continues below
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gloucestershire team wins four gold medals at British Transplant Games
GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S transplant team bagged four gold medals at the British Transplant Games in Oxford. This was only the second time a Gloucestershire team has taken part. The event offers an opportunity for transplant recipients, living donors and donor families to celebrate the gift of life through sport. The games have been staged annually since 1978, and sees teams from 60 hospitals across the UK compete against one another. The 2025 games had over 1,000 athletes competing from July 31 to August 3. The Gloucestershire team nabbed four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Gold winners were Andy Niblett in bowls, Tracie Cox and Ryan Penfold in archery and Liam Ward in the 800m. Andrew Danson took silver in the 800m, while Liam Ward also won silver in the 1500m. Andrew Danson and Mike Green each claimed a bronze in the 1500m and 5k live donor race, respectively. The Gloucestershire team, which was sponsored by Gloucestershire Kidney Patient Association, had 16 competitors taking part. To register to be an organ and tissue donor, visit:
Irish Independent
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Cork athletes help Team Ireland win 19 medals at Transplant Games
With over 1000 athletes participating in the British Transplant Games in Oxford, the Transplant Sport Ireland team of eight adult athletes, three living donors and three U18 athletes made their mark competing with integrity and good spirit. Following a very successful championship, Team Ireland won an overall haul of 19 medals - 8 gold, 2 silver and 9 bronze medals. Cork athletes Mike Keohane, Chris Walsh and Val Weblin won four of Ireland's medal haul. Mike Keohane from Rosscarbery won gold in the 5k race walk and also took bronze in both the shot put and discus. In their first British Games, Chris Walsh from Drinagh and Val Weblin originally from Leap but now living in Drimoleague both took part in the darts competition. Chris also competed in ten pin bowling and Val in snooker, football and table tennis. Val won bronze in the darts after defeating some very tough competition. Other gold medalists included Trevor Lynch from Limerick, in the 800m and 1500 metres, Glenn Clinton from Dublin in ten pin bowling, JP O'Neill from Kilkenny in squash, and Ivan Kinahan from Dublin in the living donors 50m swim. In his first British Games, Tim Lion from Dublin took part in football and tennis. Transplant Sport Ireland's U18 athletes Laura McDowell, Sam Kinahan and Sadhbh Browne won an incredible seven medals and living donor Ivan Kinahan won two medals. The Irish athletes gave their all at the British Transplant Games. Some will have medals to take home, others may not but each will carry the special memories of competing at these games in their heart. All the members of Team Ireland should congratulate themselves on representing Ireland and their donors on the international stage. Each Irish athlete has an incredible story of facing adversity and coming through the medical challenges they faced. It is not about medal success, intead it is about the courage it takes to line up at the starting line of each event. To take part is the best way they can to honour their donors and most importantly to show that organ donation works.
