Games boost local transplant register

HUNDREDS of transplant athletes will travel to Sheffield next summer for the annual British Transplant Games, which are set to come to the city for the second time in five years.

By The Newsroom

Published 11th May 2012, 07:00 BST

The event will take place between August 15 and 18.

Organised on behalf of the charity Transplant Sport UK, the Games give people aged between two and 80, who have each had a transplant, the chance to compete in a range of sports.

Last time the competitions were held in Sheffield, they attracted about 2,000 competitors and visitors, providing a £500,000 boost to the local economy.

Julie Dore, leader of Sheffield Council, said: “It’s a fantastic event for the profile of the city, raising awareness of a vital public health issue and the critical need for more organ donors to register.”

Additionally, when the event was in Sheffield in 2008 it helped to boost organ donor register figures in South Yorkshire by 25,000 names.