Tom Chater, 50, and his 18-year-old son Nick won gold in archery at the British Transplant Games in Sheffield, but they are hoping for a bigger prize: a kidney donor for Nick, who has been waiting three years and three months for a transplant.
A long wait for a life-changing call
Nick has undergone 1,000 nights of dialysis while waiting for a donor. He told The Mirror that a donor would give his life back, describing the gradual decline in energy and freedom. "Every time my phone rings, from any number, I’m always thinking ‘oh, is that the transplant coordinator phoning to say that we’ve got a kidney for you. Because it could happen any time of day or night. That’s the only phone call that I want."
The transplant waiting list in the UK is at a record high, with more than 8,200 people waiting for a donor. Under the opt-out scheme, organs are automatically donated unless the family objects.
A family's journey
Nick's first kidney transplant came when he was four, with his father donating a kidney that lasted 11 years. His aunt, uncle, and two friends have since offered kidneys but were not matches. They are now prepared to take part in kidney matching to help others in exchange for help for Nick.
Nick's mother, Jane, 53, a helicopter pilot, moved to Leeds for Nick's care. She explained that a scan at 32 weeks revealed problems with both kidneys, prompting the move to the UK for Nick's birth. "The news got worse and worse. For the first year it was a battle to keep him alive," she recalled.
An appeal for donors
Nick urged people to register as donors and have conversations with their families. "Four hundred organs were lost in 2023 just because their families decided 'no'," he said.
Tom and Nick received their gold medals on Thursday from relatives of donors. A record 2,857 participants registered for this year's games.
Stories of donation
Mahmud Nawaz, who lost his wife Sharon in 2004, will present medals in swimming. Sharon's organs saved four lives, including an 18-month-old baby. Mahmud said, "My tears of sadness turned into tears of joy because she would have loved the fact that she was able to save a child."
Suvira and Sanjeev Madan's son Eashan died last year at 27, but his donation saved three lives. His mother carries a letter from a recipient, who wrote, "I carry a piece of your family with me."
Yuri Matischen, from games organisers MLS, said: "It is the largest ever games and it’s one of the most positive PR stories around the benefits of organ donation and transplantation."
