The British Transplant Games

On the 22nd August, LLTGL Trustee Holly Shaw and Advocate Andrea Evans had the privilege of attending the British Transplant Games - not to take part in any races we hasten to add (who knows, maybe next year!) but to host a stand and represent Live Life Then Give Life.

They set up the stand and chatted to various people about Organ Donation, and were obviously speaking to a somewhat converted audience as everyone there was affected by transplantation! However it was great to see some familiar faces such as Bethany Salmon, Catriona Hamilton of Transplant Kids and Pauline Weaver and other members of the Donor Family Network.

Everyone had the same thing in common yet the competition was as fierce as any other event in the athletic calander! Speaking to one athlete James Colbeck, he said “Training for months to compete against similarly able athletes is an achievement in itself, but the competition was fantastic. I am thankful for my background in athletics, but natural thirst for winning isn't enough anymore and for the World Transplant Games in Sweden I will have to work a lot harder. Of course I couldn't be here if it wasn't for all those involved at Manchester Royal Infirmary, friends and of course, my mum without whose gift of life [her kidney], I wouldn't be able to compete at all.”

Andrea and Holly watched races and events and found it heart-warming to think everyone at the games had the same thing in common, they had all had transplants and they wouldn’t be competing (or may not even be alive) if it wasn’t for someone signing the organ donor register and their family agreeing to donation.

Please sign the Organ Donor Register so that more people can take part in the transplant games, but not only that so more people can have a second chance at life!

Think about it, talk about it, do something about it.

Trekking for Tor

On Saturday 11th September, our fab Trustee Matt and his lovely wife Bex took on an astonishing challenge; to walk 40 miles in less than 24 hours in what they called "Trekking For Tor".

Saturday 11th is a very significant date for Matt and Bex, as their beloved friend Robyn Tainty sadly passed away this day in 2007, when she ran out of time whilst waiting for a double lung transplant.

Setting off before sunrise!

LLTGL Ambassador Tor Tremlett and the loss of Robyn were their inspiration and motivation, as the determined pair set off at an impossibly early hour, across the South Downs.

Tor texted the two constantly, encouraging them as they struggled against wind and rain, but as the day went on, Matt injured his knee, making it even more difficult. About 30 miles in, Matt's knee was extremely painful, but too stubborn to stop, he carried on until he literally could walk no further at 36 miles. The lovely Bex decided to finish the trek on her own, and completed the full 40 miles, meeting Matt at the finish.

The pair did incredibly well and their sheer determination and motivation shone through on a very miserable grey day. They have raised a staggering £1,432 between them, and if you would like to sponsor their fantastic efforts, you can do by going to www.justgiving.com/trekkingfortor.

Well done Matt and Bex - a fantastic fundraising effort!

x

Emily speaks at the ETCO conference

From 24 - 26 September, the UK hosted the European Transplant Coordinators Organisation (ETCO) conference for the first time. It was hosted at Cardiff City Hall, and took 2 years to plan. The 500 delegates included Transplant professionals from across the globe, all attending to hear lectures on the latest developments in transplantation and organ donation.

LLTGL had been approached to provide a speech as part of the Opening Ceremony on the Friday, and so Emily was sent along to present the perspective of both a transplant recipient, and a charity campaigner.

Emily's speech was 30 minutes long and during that time she talked about her own transplant story - her fight for survival, life prior to transplant, and life as it is now - and about LLTGL - our aims, our work, our mission.

At the end of the speech Emily showed our LLTGL slideshow, and as she left the stage after thanking the assembled delegates for all the incredible hard work that they do, she received a standing ovation.

It was a hugely successful talk and we look forward to working with members of ETCO again soon - well done Emily!