Meet the young transplant survivors set to represent Team Newcastle at the British Transplant Games
This team of inspirational youngsters are looking forward to the British Transplant Games.
A team of youngsters are getting set to take part in this weekend's British Transplant Games - and they've already overcome so much in their short lives.
Each of them is a transplant surgery survivor - with both having been through either kidney or stem cell transplants over the last decade. This year's transplant games takes place in Nottingham from August 1 to August 5.
The event is the flagship project of the charity Transplant Sport and have been in existence for over 40 years. Each year, a team of young patients to have been treated takes part, and 2024 is no different.
The youngsters have to fundraise to cover things like travel costs and then when they are at the games they can take part in a range of challenging events. These include track and field events and sports like archery and squash, but there are also less traditional events such as an obstacle course.
The Newcastle team is managed by Nicola Frankland - whose daughter Alice is involved - and specialist renal nurse Jayne Straker. The youngsters in the team are Jenson Settler, Oscar Mcloughlin, Thomas Page, Tillie Wood, Jake Lenton, Poppy Lancaster and Eryn Howie.
Meanwhile Ariel Bingham and Alice Skinner have now moved up to take part in the adult games. Eryn's mum Dawn told ChronicleLive how much the event meant to the youngsters - and she said that the friendships and support each gave one another was incredible.
She said her daughter Eryn had become very close to Alice, and that had been a real inspiration to her and said: "They have became so close through to attending the games. Their friendship us amazing and Eryn really looks up to Alice."
See below to find out a little more about the Newcastle team through pen portraits supplied by themselves and their families - while their Crowdfunding page is here.
Thomas
Thomas is 12 and had a stem cell transplant in 2013. "Thomas attended the games last year and is eager to go back this year to meet up with his Newcastle team. He enjoys the social side as well as competing. He loves the donor run as everybody gets to join in together."
(Image: Dawn Howie / Handout)1 of 9Oscar
Oscar, 13, had a stem cell transplant in 2013. "He lives in Ireland. It's Oscars first time attending the games but he is really looking forward to the craic."
(Image: Dawn Howie / Handout)2 of 9Eryn
"Eryn is 13 years old and had her kidney transplant in October 2013. She has been attending the games since 2015. She is really looking forward to meeting everyone, loves to socialise and is excited to compete, too!"
(Image: Dawn Howie / Handout)3 of 9
