Seven hundred athletes, who have had life-changing operations, are lining up for the British Transplant Games.

Running until Monday, it is the second time in 13 years that the celebration of life has been held in the city.

All the competitors, from children to pensioners, have had organ transplants, and the event is designed to demonstrate the benefits of organ transplantation and to encourage more people to sign the NHS organ donor register.

Events in the 31st Westfield Health British Transplant Games began yesterday afternoon with archery at Don Valley, squash at the Hallamshire Tennis and Squash Club, snooker at the English Institute of Sport in Attercliffe and orienteering in Endcliffe Park .

A parade was being staged last night from Barkers Pool to the Peace Gardens for an opening ceremony at which the Lord Mayor, Coun Jane Bird, was welcoming athletes, organisers Transplant Sport UK, Games' sponsors and hundreds of supporters and donor families to the city.

One of the addresses was being given by transplant surgeon Andrew Raftery, who is based at the Northern General Hospital and chairs the Games' Local Organising Committee. The Olympic-style torch was being carried by two athletes from Edinburgh, which hosted the event last year.

Activities over the weekend range from track and field events to badminton and bowls and darts to ten pin bowling, with teams representing the hospitals where they had their operations.

More than 1,000 runners and walkers are expected to join The Star Donor Run, a 5km challenge open to all abilities, aged 13 and over, starting at the Don Valley Stadium tomorrow at 7pm. A 3km run is open to all ages.

While a high level of sportsmanship is often shown at the Games, which started 30 years ago in Portsmouth, the most important aspect is being alive to take part.

Last year about 2,800 lives in the UK were saved or dramatically improved thanks to a heart, lung, liver or combined transplant. However, while the number of people waiting for a transplant is on the rise, the number of potential donors is falling.



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