British Transplant Games '09

Thursday 30th July
Well here I am on arrival in Coventry for this years British Transplant Games, wearing my representative tracksuit for the Harefield Hospital team. I have been building up to this event as most of you know with heaps of training to improve my fitness and lung function.

My training has been intense with various exercise regimes (5-6 times a week), and at times my lungs did struggle, but, I was determined to keep going! I found it hard to sleep the night before..maybe a combination of nerves and excitement.

My friend, Jason (also competing in the games) was driving - just aswell as I would have needed many coffee pit-stops. On arrival, I felt all flustered and had about an 1.5 hour to get ready, unpack for the opening ceremony parade through the city centre. There were over 1,500 transplant recipients, relatives, friends and visitors for this and what a spectacle it was to see all the other hospitals and their teams taking over Coventry..haha. Lots of media attention too...and little did I realise that I including other team members had a photo of us all the next day on page 3, in The Coventry Telegraph (but to see photo now...scroll along the bottom to view photo number 10).

It was such a buzz to be back here again to see friends I had made over the last 2 years, and to get talking to new people too. Also, chatting face to face with people that I had just corressponded with previously through Facebook. My evening was spent drinking lime and sodas after in a bar, then back to sleep.


Friday 31st July
Oh dear....another sleepless night. Just adrenalin keeping me going.....thanks to my body being able to do that!! On my way up to the games on Thursday, I had a call from BBC Essex Radio asking if I would do a live interview for today to speak about being at the Games. At 10.30am (after eating a healthy breakfast)....I sat patiently in my room waiting for my mobile to ring. And.....so it did, and I was live back on air - only after being on the radio station there a couple of weeks back. It was great, and another boost to raise donor and LAM awareness. The link for the radio interview I will get shortly and add to my Media Articles 2009.

Also, please all remember that everything I am doing until the year ends is all for LAM Action. Here is my link if you would like to assist with a small donation - thankyou, JustGiving Link. I am hoping to raise £1000 and my link mentions all I will be doing this year to achieve this :)



Ok..ok...so here I am later in the evening for a 70's themed disco with two friends (Jamie and Mark). As much as there are competitive sporting events, we also have time to party too. Woohoo!! I danced most of the night, then decided to try and sleep - ready for Badminton the next day.





Saturday 1st August
Yay!! I managed to sleep for 5 hours solid, and I felt ready to start my day full of zest and a rested body!! I was excited for badminton today, and was quite amazed as to how many people were competing in this sport. All sports are split into age groups no matter how experienced or not you are. I really do enjoy meeting and making new friends, and there was definitely the opportunity to do this here!

I decided to have a "knock up" as it's called, to warm up for a little bit, then decided to have a breather before I wore my self out..lol



And as I pose for a silly photo, the gentleman walking up behind me is, David Walker (whose son has had a transplant too). Judging from David's reaction....looks like he is about to tell me off to stop having a laugh..lol....






And here are the badminton champions from Harefield Hospital..Woooooo!!!!! I managed to get a Silver medal!!!! Left to right in photo:- Justine (me), James Baxter, Lisa Innes, and Paul Walker.

Still feeling hyper and seeing 3 lads playing after games were over...I couldn't resist to gatecrash and join in with them. Nothing to do with the fact...they were handsome or anything..lol x x

So after being victorious, a night in the city centre was needed. And what better than to have a good curry!!! MMMMmmmmm..yum! There was about 30-40 people at the restaurant and we were quite loud..oops! Shame, for all those couples who wanted a quiet meal as we literally as we literally took over! By the time I got back to the room and ready to sleep, it was midnight (and I needed charge up ready for the athletic events the next day).

Sunday 2nd August
OOOOOOoeeerrrrr...today is my day, long jump, 100m sprint, 200m sprint, and the 100m relay race (which I later decided to leave as was tired and my lungs had done enough by that point). So at 9 am I was to jump......LONGgggggggg with 3 attempts. Well, I DID jump and didn't touch the part where you get disqualied as a foul (if your foot marks the plastersine).




I decided to upload this photo, as I look ridicoulous..........not sure what I am doing....but I thought it was a fun action shot! So laugh once only please :)

I did really well in long jump. I believe I came 5th out of 5 people..haha. Oh well, it not all about winning - but simply taking part and being alive still to do! I do enjoy long jump and will get more assistance to continue training in this, as I feel as much as it is fun, I would like to get a medal next year. Or maybe, some more silly action shots will follow again instead in 2010.

Well after coming last in long jump, I managed to win 2 bronze medals in both 100m sprint and the 200m sprint. I managed also to get a PB in the 100m of 18.8 seconds (my speed has improved by 2 seconds). I still have a long way to go to get to World status standard. But, I am still finding my feet so to speak in the games and where I can train to get to a proffessional level. I will try new sports to see if I may have hidden talents where I never knew possible. It is all trial and error, and also as to whether I actually enjoy them too!


This photo is from the 200m race - medal award presentation (with Ayesha as the silver winner and Diane with the gold).

I must stress again, that it IS taking part that counts. But.......I can't help it if I am determined to also achieve a goal and get to the World Games. I guess, even if I never do - I am still extrememly happy and grateful for my gift of life and love the games and seeing all my friends every year. And, the fact that I can breathe!!!




What everyone looks forward to, is the last night being the Gala dinner - food, drink, and plenty of dancing!! A time for all of us to unwind and celebrate, rejoice the games until it happens all over again the following year. This photo is from Harefield Hospital's athletes and supporters (family and friends) posing after it was announced that as a team we won the "Tesco" cup trophy - which was last won by us 5 years ago. All the medals won amount to a number of points - to obtain this trophy - and guess we just blew away all the other hospitals..lol x x


This photo here, depicts what I am alway about, "always smiling and always will"- dancing the night away, happy to be alive, and just loving life! Long may my lungs breathe and I hope to attend many more Transplant Games and one day - achieve a GOLD medal!!
(pictured here with friends Liz and Jamie).

Thanks to everyone who has supported me along the way and for all the well wishes, good lucks and so on. Thinking of my friends that lost their battles on life - sleep easy, especially to my dear friend Marc Prosser recently. Also, to my donor - I hope you are proud of me. And, if anyone does wish to make a donation to Lam Action via my link - thank you in advance.

Well, that about wraps it all up - I have one more day of rest before my training resumes for my goal being a 10mile run for the Bupa Great South Run in October...so.....going to make a cuppa now.

Big hugs to you all - Jussie over and out for now x x x