A liver transplant beneficiary from Newton Reigny has continued her journey of recovery by taking part in the British Transplant Games.
Jayne Pilkington experienced a life-saving liver transplant at the seventh time of asking in December last year, and is now determined to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.
She took the latest steps in her recovery this month at the British Transplant Games in Nottingham, when she participated in the ‘donor walk’ — a celebration of the contribution of organ donors, accompanied by her partner Mark Lamond.
“I was diagnosed with autoimmune liver disease in 2016,” says Jayne. “Mark was there at every single appointment, and he wanted to go to this, and he said, well we have got to go together because we have been to all of it together.
“It was a very moving experience. Two and a half thousand people in the same place and all affected by organ donation. You see the reality of it all. The reality is that you never forget about your donor. You have to get on with your life, because otherwise what is the point in having had it in the first place, but it is things like this, that really hit home how lucky you are.
“There are two-year-old children there. It is a children’s team. There are little children doing a 25 metre race and they might still have feeding tubes and oxygen and all sorts. Everybody is in tears watching them. And wheelchair races where children that can’t physically walk, their parents race them in their wheelchairs.”
Jayne, aged 44, says the transplant community is very supportive and continues to help her as she begins a new stage of her life, that is only possible due to the gift from her donor.
She now intends to step up her awareness-raising about the importance of organ donation.
“There are over 7,600 people I think at the moment who are waiting for a transplant urgently,” says Jayne. “Less than one per cent of people who die, die in a situation where they can become organ donors. It is all about making that decision now whilst letting your family know. I have had my opportunity. You have to do your bit to make sure those after you have their chance as well. This is just the start of my journey now.”
Jayne hopes to get involved in future transplant sports either in competitive walking, or another discipline, as part of her Newcastle Adults Transplant Team.
“I want to try and train to do the 3km walk race. I used to walk loads before my transplant to keep fit but never competitively. The amazing thing about the games is that the people who come last get the biggest cheers of anybody because they have just taken part. You are already a winner if you have just chosen to take part.
“It is a good opportunity for me to get properly fit again and I think if you can do something like that you are helping to spread the word of how good transplants are because they enable you to do all of these things. I do not want people to feel sorry for me. It is not for me. I have done it. It gives people a chance to be part of someone else’s story.”
As well as getting more involved with her team, Jayne will be supporting the British Liver Trust, when their Love My Liver roadshow arrives in Carlisle on 26th November.
This is an opportunity for the public to have a free liver scan and gain some advice.
At Christmas, Jayne underwent 10 hours of surgery and spent 11 days in the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle — two of them in intensive care. She was originally diagnosed with liver disease when she was 35 and was told that her health would only deteriorate, with doctors warning that the crisis point would occur in June, 2025.
If you are interested in finding out more about organ donation, you can visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk
