Leaping to the World Transplant Games in Perth

My name is Karen and I am fundraising for my 17-year-old Tansplanted son Rian to experience a sporting dream by being part of team GB & NI and competing in the World Transplant Games in Perth Australia April 2023 as a recognised athlete.

While still growing in the womb, Rian was diagnosed with a rare condition called posterior urethral valve (PUV), causing his initial renal failure. Left untreated, it may have caused death at birth. However, at 28 weeks Rian had his first operation procedure whilst still in the womb and by him undergoing many more operations and procedures after birth he was able to receive a crucial kidney transplant from me as his living donor in July 2008 at just three years of age.

Having been through so much during his early years, Rian was quite an anxious child and had developed some attachment issues however, that all changed once Rian began competing in the British Transplant Games. His first British Transplant Games was in Coventry in 2009 when he was four years old and he has competed at the event every year since. It is more than just a sporting competition; the British Transplant Games has provided Rian with the opportunity to connect with others who have been through similar experiences to himself, he can feel normal, he isn’t the only one with tubes, or who needs medication, he doesn’t feel any different to anyone else.

Committing to living life to the fullest and being the best he can be in athletics Rian has competed in non-Transplant athletic competitions regionally and at the county level for his athletic club and his hospital team in many British Transplant games and recently in the European Transplant and Dialysis Sports Games, Oxford England with Team GB & NI. Having achieved many personal bests (PBs) and recognised awards in his athletic events Rian has now made the selection criteria for Team GB & NI and has been invited to represent the team in athletics at the World Transplant Games Perth Australia 2023.

Competing at the games in Perth is very expensive and will need to be fully funded by himself. It is estimated that the total cost of the games will be between £5,000 and £6,000. Therefore, Rian has set himself a challenge to raise money to be able to compete and realise his dream.

He will with the help of family and friends be doing a walk in November from his transplant hospital the Evelina London and St Thomas’ Hospital over the London bridges to the Guy’s Hospital at London Bridge, which happens to be where I donated my kidney to him. Rian will then continue and finish his walk at the London Stadium previously known as the Olympic Stadium for the 2012 Olympic Games which also inspired him in his love of athletics.

Any donation would be very much appreciated, but if you cannot donate, please could you share his story.

Thank You

Karen