At just two weeks old, I had a volvulus, which is a twisting of the gut and I was rushed to Accident and Emergency.
From then on, I had a lot of complications all throughout my life.
This eventually lead the doctors and nurses at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to make the decision to put me on the transplant waiting list for a new small bowel at the age of nine.
In April 2009 we received a phone call from Birmingham Children’s Hospital that changed my life forever.
The generosity of a family who had just lost their loved one meant that I could receive a life saving small bowel transplant. 
I am grateful for Organ Donation because it has saved my life, and it has given me so many opportunities to do and try new things that I would never have had the opportunity to do if I hadn’t had my transplant.
I have travelled to new countries to compete for GB and NI in the World Transplant Games and the European’s, in places like Argentina, Finland and many others.
I was lucky enough to spend my eighteenth birthday in Malaga for the World Games in 2017, which was such a great experience and a pleasure to spend it with everyone who was there. I managed to pick up two bronze medals and one gold.
I am so grateful to my donor, and the grieving family who changed my life. They gave me the greatest gift I could ever ask for, a second chance at life.
I have never met my donor family, but I just hope I am doing my donor proud.
Please talk to your loved ones about Organ Donation, it really does save lives.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Stuart