Clare

I was diagnosed with PSC in 2006 and received my transplant in March 2014. In 2017, I took part in my second British Transplant Games.

The British Transplant Games take place every year in different locations around the UK with their purpose being to increase public awareness of the need for more people to join the NHS Organ Donation Register and discuss their wishes with their families along with bringing together the transplant community to celebrate the gift of life.

in 2017 the Games took place in North Lanarkshire, Scotland with over 850 transplant athletes competing. I compete with the Edinburgh Transplant team, along with a couple of fellow PSCers! The Games are a lot of fun and a great place to meet fellow transplantees and their families but also to meet live donors and donor families whose loved ones have donated their organs. It is a very emotional but also humbling time throughout the games to see all of these amazing people doing so well and with an overwhelming sense of camaraderie, although the competition can sometimes be quite fierce!

In 2017 there were over 25 sporting activities to choose from, at varying degrees of exertion. I chose to compete in the Archery, Tennis, 3km run, 1500m, 800m and the 4x100m team relay. I had my most successful games ever, coming away with a Bronze in Archery, Gold in Tennis, Gold in the 3km run, Gold in the 1500m and a Gold in the 800m!
I was and still am so proud of myself for what I achieved and forever thankful to my donor and their family for giving me that precious gift of life which meant I was able to compete and see what this gift means to families and people like me!