Kaidyn Blair captures gold at Transplant Games
Essex teenager wins three golds at his third World Transplant Games
Tammy Blair didn’t know if she would watch her son grow up. Now she watches him win gold medals.
Essex’s Kaidyn Blair, 15, who received a life-saving liver transplant as an infant, recently returned from the World Transplant Games in Spain where he won three gold medals.
“It’s an awesome feeling because I didn’t even know if he was going to live, let alone excel,” said Tammy. “Now, to watch him run and be competitive — but it’s not just about being competitive, it’s about just being able to do it.”
Kaidyn was born with biliary atresia, a rare disease where abnormal liver openings in infants trap bile within the organ and cause severe damage. He was put on the transplant waiting list at two months old.
At a year old, Kaidyn weighed 13 pounds. Jaundice turned his skin and eyes yellow. He couldn’t stand, eat, walk or crawl like other kids his age. Kaidyn received a lifesaving liver transplant three days after his first birthday.
He hasn’t wasted the gift. He has completed, and excelled at, the last three World Transplant Games. The event, held in a different city every two years, is an international competition for transplant athletes. Participants range in age from four to 80, and all have had life-saving transplant operations.
This year, the games were in Malaga, Spain, from June 25 to July 2. There were about 2,500 participants from 55 countries. Kaidyn competed in soccer, high jump, long jump, ball throw, volleyball and bowling. He won gold medals in high jump, long jump and ball throw.
He also competed at past games in Africa and Argentina. Four years ago in Africa, he broke three world records. Despite suffering through a rejection two years ago, he competed in Argentina, still winning gold medals.
“To go to that was just to celebrate life,” said Tammy. “We didn’t have any expectations.”
For several years, Kaidyn has also been an outspoken advocate for organ donation. Last month, he walked 21 kilometres from his hometown of Essex to Windsor Regional Hospital’s Met campus to raise money and awareness for organ and tissue donation.
“To watch him be able to help others, that’s amazing,” said Tammy.
It’s an awesome feeling because I didn’t even know if he was going to live, let alone excel. Now, to watch him run and be competitive.