A Brighton woman who has twice had a double lung transplant is part of Team GB at the 2023 World Transplant Games in Australia.
Amanda Chalmers, 35, is due to compete in tennis – singles and doubles – and table tennis doubles at the Games which are scheduled to start on Saturday (15 April).
Ms Chalmers was born with cystic fibrosis and has had two life-saving double lung transplants, a kidney transplant and two islets of Langerhans transplants.
She previously competed internationally in Malaga in 2017 after her first double lung transplant and has been training with Preston Park Lawn Tennis Club and Brighton Table Tennis Club.
Ms Chalmers said: “The World Transplant Games are an amazing event where everyone competing has overcome and battled through their health issues to be where they are.
“It took me a long time to be able to move or walk and function again after being on ECMO (heart and lung) life support for six weeks during my second double lung transplant in 2019.
“So to be able to be up and playing sport and competing is something I wasn’t sure would ever happen again.
“Without my donors and their families agreeing to donate their organs, I wouldn’t be here today.
“I am forever grateful and hold them very close to me in everything I do. I am living on gifted time from my donors so I plan to make the most of it.”
The World Transplant Games take place every two years and are supported by the International Olympic Committee.
Team Great Britain and Northern Ireland will join over 1,000 other transplant athletes and live donors from 50 countries across the globe.
Team manager Lynne Holt said: “We are delighted to be demonstrating the benefits of transplantation.
“We aim to exceed the gold medals won at the 2019 World Transplant Games in Newcastle and to win the trophy for the best team.
“These Games certainly deserve the same recognition as the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Ms Chalmers received her first double lung transplant at the age of 24, a year after being listed, after a serious deterioration in her condition.
But five years after her transplant, she started to go into rejection. She also developed diabetes because of her cystic fibrosis medication.
After a move to Switzerland, Ms Chalmers was placed on life support where she received her second double lung transplant at Lausanne University Hospital.
However, the trauma of surgery led to kidney failure, and after months on dialysis while recovering from the second double lung transplant, she received a new kidney in Geneva University Hospital.
Ms Chalmers also received two doses of pancreatic islets of Langerhans cells to stabilise her diabetes.
In September 2022, Ms Chalmers walked 100 miles over the South Downs for two charities, raising £11,232 for NHS Blood and Transplant and Swiss Transplant.
