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2:00 AM 18th June 2022
sports

Celebrating The Gift Of Life This Father’s Day

 
Sam and Warren
Sam and Warren
The Westfield Health British Transplant Games and Leeds Hospitals Charity mark Father’s Day by counting down to the biggest celebration of organ donation since 2019 Father’s Day marks just a few weeks to go until the Westfield Health British Transplant Games arrive (28-31 July 2022) and thousands of transplanted athletes, organ donors, family and friends will be in Leeds to celebrate the life-saving benefits of organ donation.

In 2021, over 400 people became living donors, giving the ultimate gift to loved ones to help them survive. Earlier this year, Sam Jones joined this list of living donors, giving his father Warren a portion of his liver after a first transplant was unsuccessful. Warren has a long-term condition that has been affecting his organ function for most of his adult life. In 2021 Warren's condition started to deteriorate, he was told he would need liver surgery as soon as possible and was put on the transplant waiting list.

After 10 months, Warren underwent a liver transplant at Leeds General Infirmary, but his body began to reject the new organ and he became seriously ill, losing a significant amount of weight and growing weak, needing to stay in the hospital in the run up to Christmas – due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sam was unable to visit. The situation led to Sam putting himself forward to help. Tests revealed that Sam was a match for his dad and at just 18 years old, he gave Warren the right lobe of his liver and a second chance at life.

Both Sam and Warren have fully recovered from surgery and feel extremely lucky to be able to celebrate Father’s Day together again this year. Sam, said: “When I found out I was a match for my dad and had the opportunity to save his life, I was so relieved that I could help him begin the road to recovery he so desperately deserved."

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"If our story encourages just one more family to have a conversation on organ donation and their wishes, then I will be so proud. We aren’t quite well enough to compete in the British Transplant Games just yet, but it’s so exciting that such a big event raising awareness of organ donation is coming to Leeds, I hope I will be able to take part next year.”

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is one the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in Europe. Every year it provides healthcare and specialist services for people from the city of Leeds, Yorkshire and the Humber and beyond.

Last year, the Trust did over 150 kidney transplants and nearly 120 liver transplants, making Leeds one of the leading transplant centres in the country.

Leeds Hospitals Charity, the charity of the Trust, will be supporting the British Transplant Games as it arrives in Leeds this summer. The charity is the lead sponsor for the annual Donor Run, the only event in the Games that is open to all, aiming to raise awareness and thank donors for their lifesaving sacrifices.

The Donor Run will take place around Leeds Docks on Saturday 30 July at 18:30pm. The two routes, 3km and 5km are open for registration now and have already attracted over 1,000 combined sign ups.

Esther Wakeman, CEO of Leeds Hospitals Charity, said: “We’re proud to support the hundreds of adults, children and families who are part of the Leeds Transplant Team. The British Transplant Games is a wonderful opportunity to bring together transplant patients and their loved ones from across the nations who share a special and unique bond. “The Donor Run will be a celebration of the lives of those who have donated organs, but it is also a great way to raise money for charity and to get active. Bring the whole family along to enjoy what promises to be a fantastic event!”



To sign up to take part in the Donor Run and raise money for Leeds Hospitals Charity, visit: https://www.leedshospitalscharity.org.uk/Event/donor-run-britishtransplant-games For more information on the Donor Run, visit: https://www.britishtransplantgames.co.uk/donor-run-2022