Allan Gilmour, from Stevenston, is among 11 heart transplant recipients representing NHS Golden Jubilee at the British Transplant Games in Sheffield, running from August 6 to August 9. The event celebrates the life-changing impact of organ donation and the opportunities it creates.
Team effort
The newly-formed Golden Jubilee Scotland Heart Transplant Sports Team, part of Heart Transplant Active – Scotland, includes 11 transplant recipients and seven supporters travelling to England. Allan will compete in archery, ten-pin bowling, crown green bowls, petanque pairs, and the Donor Run.
All team members received their heart transplants through the Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service (SNAHFS) at NHS Golden Jubilee, which performed the highest number of heart transplants in the UK over the past 12 months.
Inspiration and awareness
The team aims to raise awareness about organ donation and encourage transplant recipients to lead active lives, build confidence, and support one another. Team captain Alison Gray, a heart transplant recipient, said: “To have 11 competitors and seven supporters representing NHS Golden Jubilee and Scotland in our very first year is beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Gray highlighted the Donor Run as a poignant event: “It brings together donor families, living donors and transplant recipients in a truly special way. We will run and walk in honour of the gift we have received, remember those donors who made transplantation possible, and thank their families for their incredible generosity.”
Celebrating second chances
Competitors will take part in events including golf, badminton, archery, table tennis, volleyball, ten-pin bowling, crown green bowls, athletics, and pétanque. The team’s participation reflects their determination and resilience, as well as the lasting impact of organ donation.
NHS Golden Jubilee, home to Scotland’s national heart transplant service, has performed over 300 heart transplants since 2008. Carolynne O’Connor, Chief Executive of NHS Golden Jubilee, said: “Seeing transplant recipients return to sport, travel, spend time with their families and pursue their ambitions is one of the most powerful reminders of why organ donation matters.”
O’Connor added: “We hope the team’s participation encourages people to have conversations about organ donation with their families. Those discussions can ultimately save lives and create opportunities for people to live life to the fullest.”
