Transplant athletes set for challenge of Great Birmingham 10k

The septet – which includes Stafford resident Sue Bennett – is running in support of Transplant Sport, the organisers of this summer’s Westfield Health British Transplant Games, which also takes place in Birmingham.

Runners of all ages and abilities can take part in the 6.2-mile race, and a team including heart, liver, lung, bone marrow and transplant recipients, as well as a living donor, will complete the line-up.

Mrs Bennett, aged 44, suffered years of declining health due to an incurable autoimmune disease called Primary Biliary Cholongitis, which caused her liver to fail.

A liver transplant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, saved her life.

She met her donor family just three years ago and said: “I’m running to honour my young donor, Amy Jones. In 2015, I promised myself that after my transplant I would continue running and competing.

“Each medal I get, I hand to Sharron, Amy’s mother. I wanted Sharron to see what a difference donating her daughter’s organs has made to my life.

“It’s an honour to be able to run in the city where my transplant took place; August’s British Transplant Games in Birmingham are something I am really looking forward to. It will be an opportunity to celebrate the gift of life with my family, fellow transplant recipients and our donor families.”

Fellow runner Simon Perkin, 53, from Warwickshire, added: “It’s so exciting to be part of a very small group of fellow transplant recipients who will be taking on the Birmingham 10K as we each celebrate the gift of life.

“As a Midlands resident, I know the special people of Birmingham will support us and make this a fun event.

“I am only alive and able to run in May because a kind stranger decided to step forward and donate their bone marrow, I would urge anyone to do the same because sadly, every day, three people die in the UK because they can’t find a donor.

“I am running to say a big thank you to these people – the real heroes.”

Back in 2012, Simon was fighting through chemotherapy, a failed bone marrow transplant, constant sickness, countless blood transfusions and hospitalisation for over a hundred days awaiting a second, ultimately life-saving, transplant.

“I was staring death in the face but now I am probably fitter and healthier than I have ever been in my life.”

The other Transplant Sport runners are 48-year-old John Moore, liver transplant recipient from Newcastle, 36-year-old Douglas Forbes, double lung transplant recipient from Cheltenham, 42-year-old Richard Bennett, kidney transplant recipient from High Wycombe, 25-year-old Job Davies, heart transplant recipient from Stoke and living donor Serena Tucker who complete a team of transplant athletes travelling from across the UK to convene in the city this May.

More than 1,000 transplant athletes are set to take part in the Westfield Health Games, with 60 teams competing in 24 sports over four days.