sports

22 Organisations Will Provide Vital Support To Stage This Summer’s British Transplant Games

This month (28-31 July 2022) thousands of transplant patients, live donors, supporters, and guests will come together in Leeds for the Westfield Health British Transplant Games, the flagship event of charity Transplant Sport and the biggest celebration of organ donation and the gift of life that the UK has seen since 2019.

22 organisations from across the UK have come forward to show their support for the Games, generating over £400,000 and providing vital resources to ensure that the transplant community can reunite once again safely, after years of UK lockdowns and shielding.

The list of organisations includes proud long-term partners Westfield Health, Kidney Care UK Anthony Nolan, the Donor Family Network, Icon Creative Design, Liquid Public Relations, organisers MLS and NHS Blood and Transplant.

Each year, these supporters help organisers grow the Games and aren’t only providing physical and financial support but also an emotional commitment to help raise awareness of the life-saving benefits of transplantation and encourage families across the UK to share their organ donation wishes.

Ahead of this year’s Games taking place in Leeds, a raft of local partners have also come forward to support; Leeds City Council and the University of Leeds are providing accessible facilities to host the Games’ sporting events and Leeds Hospitals Charity is championing the annual Donor Run, the Games’ only event that is open to all and takes place to celebrate the gift of life and say thank you to organ donors.

Park Lane Foundation will be hosting the golf events at Leeds Golf Centre. Additional supporters for this year also include the Hilton and Global Kidney Foundation. Supporting in raising awareness of the Games and its crucial messages, local media company The Ark has secured free, high-visibility outdoor advertising spots, the Yorkshire Organ Donation Hospital Trusts Committees are sharing messages within their networks as well as sponsoring events and generously contributing financially through their committee funds. Visit Leeds is helping to generate spectator and tourist footfall and Extra Motorway Services will be sharing Games information at motorway service stations on the way to Leeds, as well as sponsoring the cycling events.

Thanks to Pitchero Games messages have also been shared with over 10,000 community sport clubs across the UK. Further support is being given by healthcare providers B.Braun Medical and Yorkshire charity Kidney Research Yorkshire.

Roger Burnley, Chair of the British Transplant Games’ Stakeholder Board, said: "There is a lot of hard work that goes into making the Games happen and we are so grateful to our sponsors, both new and longer-term, for their support.

“Not only is the Games a chance for the transplant community to reunite and celebrate together, but it’s also a key opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges that we are facing around organ donation in this country and encourage those crucial conversations between families that means more people are benefitting from life-saving transplants.

“We can’t wait to see all of our partners and supporters together in one place so we can say thank you in the best way we know how, by sharing in the magic of the Games.”

For more information on the Westfield Health British Transplant Games and how you can get involved, visit: https://www.britishtransplantgames.co.uk/ E