The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Athletes to mark recoveries at British Transplant Games
Competitors battled back to health after organ transplants
Two Courier country athletes given “a second chance at life” have spoken of their inspirational journeys to recovery ahead of the British Transplant Games.
Susan Alexander, from Glenrothes, and Peter Boag, from Monifieth, will be among the 850 transplant patients taking part in North Lanarkshire from tomorrow until Sunday.
Both hope their stories will help to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.
Susan received a living donor liver transplant from her mum Sheila Filsell six years ago.
She will be taking part in the 3km mini marathon, 1500m, 800m and 4x100m relay races.
Susan, who works as a GP, said: “I had my transplant six years ago now and I’ve had two children since, so it’s made quite a difference to my training.
“I used to do running a lot before I was ill but obviously when I was ill I wasn’t able to exercise for a while, so it’s good to get back into it.”
Peter, a coach at Monifieth Athletic Club, says his liver transplant two years ago gave him “a second chance at life”.
He will be taking part in the 5km run, 10km cycle and 50m freestyle swim.
The 47-year-old said: “I was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis.
“It means that the capillaries in your liver scar and block, and eventually the damage becomes irreversible.
“When I was first diagnosed, nothing really happened – it’s one of those things that is monitored over time.
“Then, in 2015 I became jaundiced and bloated and was told I had chronic liver failure. I was at death’s door.”
After the latter diagnosis, everything happened very fast for Peter – he was put at the front of the queue for a liver transplant due to the severity of his illness, and a donor was found.
His and Susan’s appearance alongside the other competitors across the 23 activities in the Games is proof those who receive a transplant can go on to lead active and healthy lives.