A SWINDON man who was given a life-saving kidney by his father has won two medals after taking part in the 2018 British Transplant Games in Birmingham.

Grant Songhurst came home laden with two medals after taking silver in the football and a bronze in the table tennis. He also gained the golden boot for being the top scorer with six goals.

The 34-year-old from Melstock Road, Hayden Wick, was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure in May 2016 when he and his wife Stacie’s daughter, Sydnie, was just nine days old.

Grant said: “I had started to get headaches and multiple sickness bugs for a few months beforehand. Stacie forced me to go to the Doctors after I had a really bad nose bleed and heart palpitations.

“They diagnosed kidney failure and I was put on peritoneal dialysis but it didn’t work, so I went on hemodialysis, where they remove your blood, filter it and then return it. That was taking four hours a day, three days a week.

“My kidneys were working at less than five per cent and I urgently needed a transplant. Luckily, my dad, Bill Songhurst, 56, was a great match and I received his kidney within six months of being diagnosed.

“However, there are so many people out there waiting for a transplant who are not so fortunate, who are having to wait months and sometimes years for a transplant organ.”

Mr Songhurst worked as Head of Sales for Imagine Cruising in Swindon. He was forced to take 10 months off work after being diagnosed but says the company were “very supportive”.

The British Transplant Games took place from August 2-5 and were attended by more than 1,000 transplant recipients from across the UK, supported by another 2,000 people comprising family, friends, sponsors, volunteers and charities.

Grant and Stacie now have a second child, Hunter, who is only four months old. It was Grant’s first time competing at the British Transplant Games following his successful kidney transplant in November 2016.

Mr Songhurst, who is now a product manager for Imagine Cruising, said: “I have always loved to play football and have always enjoyed playing table tennis but I have never played and competed at a big event like this and at such a high standard.

“It’s such an honour to participate in the Games this year. I am here fighting fit and winning medals because of my dad who donated his kidney to me two years ago.

“I have met so many amazing people who have been through the same journey or are currently going through what I went through and I have made some great friends along the way.

“I was lucky enough to have my dad’s kidney, however some people aren’t able to receive from living donors, so I know that this also wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the people who signed up to the Organ Donation Register, it really is the gift of life and there is no greater gift!”

The British Transplant Games returned to Birmingham for the first time in 19 years and saw the largest ever number of competitors, from over 50 teams across the UK, come together to take part over four days. The Opening Ceremony began with a parade to the Birmingham Symphony Hall in Broad Street.

For the first time at the British Transplant Games, an attempt was made to beat the world record for the ‘largest gathering of organ transplant recipients’. Although the attempt has still to be verified as a Guinness World Record, if successful, the count of 723, will have beaten the previous record.

James Neuberger, Chair of the British Transplant Games Local Organising Committee, a Trustee of Transplant Sport and Consultant Transplant Physician at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, was delighted with the turnout.

He said: “We were prepared to host the biggest Games yet, but we were blown away with the number of people competing and showing their support.

“It was an absolute pleasure to host so many amazing athletes from all over the UK in Birmingham for the first time in so many years and have the opportunity to shout about the benefits of organ donation on a national stage. All the competitors should be very proud of themselves and everything they have achieved.”

For the first time, a new award, the Donor City Award, was presented to Birmingham by Alison Phillips, Editor of the Daily Mirror, to Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council.