PRESS RELEASE:
Transplant athlete set to take on the world
An inspiring local man who has overcome ill health through a successful organ transplant will be competing in this year’s World Transplant Games in Durban, South Africa.
Mike Marshall from Whitchurch on Thames near Reading (and a Petanque Wallingford member) will be taking part in the Games this month, 28 years after having a life-saving Kidney transplant.
The 60 year-old will compete as a member of Team GB&NI at the Games, from 28 July to 4 August 2013, competing in Petanque, Badminton and Javelin.
Lynne Holt, Team Manager and Trustee at Transplant Sport said: “The World Transplant Games is a great opportunity for athletes such as Mike to share his story and inspire people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
“Not only are these athletes ambassadors for our country, but they are also representing the charity, Transplant Sport, and hope to raise more awareness here in the UK and globally, of the need for more people to sign on to the Organ Donor Register and express their wishes with family and friends.
Mike said: “I love playing sports and the Transplant Games provides a fantastic sporting experience for all the Transplant athletes taking part while at the same time raising awareness of the urgent need for more registered donors.
300 will descend on the Rainbow Nation, which includes more than 135 Transplant Sport athletes, 15 juniors, and 150 supporters, which includes 9 on the management team.
The World Transplant Games, supported by the International Olympic Committee, represents the largest organ donor awareness event in the world, featuring a week of 13 sporting events. Team GB and NI will join over 1000 other transplant athletes from 50 countries across the globe.
More than 10,000 people in the UK are currently waiting for a transplant and sadly, three people die waiting every day. But with only 29 per cent of the UK population actually registered as organ donors, more work needs to be done to raise awareness of donation and to urge those on to the donor register to share their wishes with loved ones.
To add your name to the NHS Organ Donor Register call 0300 1232323, text SAVE to 84118 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk
ENDS
Issued on behalf of Transplant Sport UK by HR Media Ltd. For more information please call Mike Marshall on 0781-309-7177. For media enquiries about the GB&NI Transplant Team, please call Allie Dransfield at HR Media on 0773 052 7267, email allie@hrmedia.org.uk or contact Team Manager Lynne Holt 07900014344 or lholt@home.3b.co.uk
For further information on other activities at Transplant Sport UK, please go to www.transplantsportuk.org.uk We would respectfully ask that in any articles that the following information is included:
To register on the NHS Organ Donor Register, please telephone 0300 123 23 23, text SAVE to 84118 or go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk to register online. Most importantly, please discuss your wishes with your family and friends – thank you