Support Worker Lisa Laing shared the amazing news that in 2024 she received a gold medal for her fifty-metre backstroke swim at the British Transplant Games. After having had a kidney transplant in 1990 at twenty-one years old, Lisa began taking part in the games in 1992.
The British Transplant Games
The British Transplant Games is an annual event held since 1978, taking place in different cities throughout the UK. The games are held to, “demonstrate the benefits of transplantation, encouraging transplant patients to regain fitness, whilst increasing public awareness of the need for more people to join the NHS Organ Donation Register and discuss their wishes with their families. They also seek to thank and celebrate donor families and the gift of life.”
Transplant recipients and their families can participate in the games, ranging from ages 3 to 80. There are a variety of sports involved, aimed to cater to people of all abilities – from ten pin bowling to swimming.
Following successes across the games and a few bronze medals won, Lisa required another kidney transplant in 2017, but was back at the next British Transplant Games the following year! Lisa said, “It’s an amazing experience. Everyone there has been through either a life changing transplant, or someone close to them has made that choice to donate. It’s a big stage to raise awareness for such an important topic.”
Lisa has been a Support Worker for her Brownbill client for twenty years, and notes how lovely it has been to go through her journey with the client. They have been involved in her plans and supportive of her success all the way.
Following her gold medal achievement, Lisa has qualified and been invited to participate in the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany in August 2025. We’ll be sure to share her journey in the summer and wish her the best of luck!
