'Mummy, do you realise you're second in the world?'

Athletes have been flying the flag in Germany and raising awareness of life-saving transplants

"It's all about keeping families together."

A mum rolled her way to a brace of silver medals at the World Transplant Games in Germany, 10 years after life-saving surgery.

Shelley Reynolds, 43, from Mickleover in Derby, competed in the tenpin bowling singles and doubles.

Her silver success comes a decade after she needed a new kidney and pancreas, and she said winning two medals in Dresden "was not what I was expecting".

"I was going to enjoy myself, have some fun, and spread the awareness of organ transplantation," she said.

"And yeah - second in the world!

"My daughter said to me 'mummy, do you realise you're second in the world?'

"And I think that's when it hit me. It was brilliant to be fair and totally not what I was expecting."

Shelley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 10, but in 2012, while pregnant with her first child, complications meant her kidneys failed.

Major surgery was carried out to transplant a new kidney and pancreas.

While no longer diabetic, she must take anti-rejection drugs and immunosuppressants.

But despite this, Shelley went on to compete in the British Transplant Games in Nottingham last year and earn a spot at this summer's week-long games in Germany.

Three patients from the Royal Derby Hospital travelled to take part in the games

In total the 25th World Transplant Games saw 2,500 participants, families, and supporters from 51 nations in Dresden competing over seven days.

Great Britain topped the medal table with 173 gold, 132 silver, and 98 bronze medals, followed by Team Germany and Team USA.

The nurse practitioner said: "I had a kidney and pancreas transplant 10 years ago so the games mean a lot to me.

"It was emotional, everybody there had a story, everybody there had a transplant with thousands of athletes competing.

"The atmosphere was immense. It's surreal to even now be back now, I feel like it was a whirlwind."

She now hopes to compete at tenpin bowling and archery at the British Transplant Games in Sheffield next July, and is targeting qualification for the next world games in Leuven, Belgium, in 2027.

She said: "Since my transplant it's all about trying to be healthy and raising the awareness of what transplants can do.

"The major thing about this is just showing how incredible the human body can be and the spirit. Yeah, and you know, organ donation, it's not negative, it's positive.

"It has kept my family together, it means my mum still has me, a healthy daughter, and it means my daughter now has a sibling, as I've been able to go on to have another baby since having my transplant.

"It's all about keeping families together, and enjoying life as we can together, healthily."

'Second chance'

Shelley was one of three patients at the Royal Derby Hospital whose participation was funded by Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity.

Susie Konowalik had a rare multivisceral transplant in 2019, which included her kidney, pancreas, small bowel, and large bowel.

She achieved a silver medal in the 3km power walk (women's 60–69) and sent her medal to her donor's family.

She also placed fifth in women's doubles table tennis (50+), 10th in singles table tennis (50–59), and 21st in mixed doubles table tennis (18–99).

She said: "It was very emotional hearing the different stories in Dresden, but it felt like a family."

Susie said she had sent her medals to the family of her organ donor

Mark Harrington had a stem cell transplant in 2011 due to light chain deposition disease, which led to kidney problems and dialysis, before receiving a kidney transplant in 2022.

He won bronze in the javelin (men's 40–49) and finished fifth as part of the mixed basketball team, and said: "I've got a second chance of life, grasping it is the best way of saying thank you."

The Team GB basketball squad was knocked out by the Americans in the quarter finals

Jill Matthews, chief officer of Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, said: "It's really important that we can spread the word that there is life after transplant and hopefully encourage people to think about transplants when they're talking to their families.

"We don't want people to have those conversations for the first time at a really difficult point in their lives but the gift of donation makes a massive difference."