British Transplant Games: Meet the children taking part

Hundreds of children who have had life-saving transplants will be competing in the 2023 British Transplant Games in Coventry.

A transplant is when a healthy organ is taken from one person and given to someone whose organ needs replacing - usually because it's not working properly.

Across the UK about 200 children are waiting for an organ transplant.

Sara Clarke, Birmingham Children's British Transplant Games Team Manager said: "Competing at the Games allows children of all ages and abilities to showcase the power of organ donation and the immense benefits of transplantation and its life changing impact for the whole family."

There are more than 20 sporting events for the adults and children competing to take part in.

Albie's story

Albie was admitted to hospital in November 2021 when his mum noticed his eyes and skin were yellow and he seemed really tired and a little confused.

He saw paediatric (meaning specialist medics for children) specialists who did some more tests that showed his liver was failing.

The 10-year-old was placed in a coma to protect his body while he waited for a liver to become available to replace his.

Just three weeks after his mum spotted he was poorly, a suitable donor was found for Albie and he had a six-hour-long operation.

He was in the hospital for three weeks following the transplant but after nine months he was able to go back to school.

He's very excited to meet other transplant recipients at the Games and will be competing in swimming, tennis, indoor athletics and football.

George's US adventures

George was five and a half when he had a liver transplant in April 2022.

He was diagnosed with a very rare cancer in his bone, liver and spleen when he was two and a half.

After a year of chemotherapy he received the all clear for cancer but eventually needed more chemotherapy, his liver however was too badly damaged to take any more.

So George travelled to America for an alternative treatment, but sadly after returning to the UK, his liver still wasn't healing.

George was getting quite poorly and was told in December 2021 he would need a liver transplant.

His mum, Catherine, was approved to be his living donor and the surgery was successfully completed on 1 April 2022.

He's now a very active and energetic child and is very excited to be part of the Games.

Sylvie's super quick match

Sylvie who is 10 started to become poorly when she was just three.

After seeing a GP, she was sent to hospital for tests and was quickly told she needed a liver transplant because her liver was failing.

She was put on the extremely urgent list for transplants and luckily a match was found two days later.

In May 2016 she had a split liver transplant, where one healthy liver is divided into two and the bigger portion is given to an adult and the smaller portion is given to a child.

Sylvie came home about a month later, just before her fourth birthday. She's now 10 and loving life.