Organ donation is 'life-giving', say recipients

Jack Beever, 19, received a kidney transplant from his dad earlier this year

Organ donation is "life-giving" and provides recipients with a "new lease of life", three people who previously received transplants have told the BBC.

Jack Beever, Blossom Martin, James Lawton were all speaking ahead of next months British Transplant Games, which is an Olympics-style sporting event for people who have received organ transplants.

The multi-sport festival is taking place in Oxford next year for the first time, with more than a thousand participants set to descend on the city.

"Organ donation is so important, and for everyone involved it makes such a difference, not just for me but for my family," Mr Beever, 19, said.

Ms Martin, who received a kidney transplant from her mum two years ago, said: "Organ donation is life-giving, it's given me a new lease of life and if you can give something to someone else that you don't need, its win-win for everyone."

The 19-year-old said her transplant meant she could "dedicate so much more time to whatever I want to do - it's amazing".

Receiving a transplant was "amazing", Blossom Martin said

Explaining what life was like before his kidney transplant earlier this year, Mr Beever said: "I was so restricted with everything I could do - I was in bed all the time feeling really tired and poorly."

"The second I had it, it was just amazing - I had so much energy, I could do so much more around the house, I could eat whatever I wanted, it was amazing."

He said organ donation made "such a difference for everyone involved".

"I wouldn't be here without organ donation," Mr Lawton said, adding: "My wife and my kids wouldn't have me around without my transplant."

The trio took part in an organ donation awareness event ahead of next months games

All three will be competing for Team Oxford at the British Transplant Games, which takes place between 31 July and 3 August.

The games will see 1,045 athletes - ranging from ages three to eighty-plus - compete against one-another across 25 different sports.

Paul Harden, chairman of the charity Tranplsant Active - which organises the games, said: "Organ donation can transform these people's lives from a life threating situation to one where they can compete in all of these sports."