Member Article

World Transplant Games step nearer for Simon

Simon Perkin’s dream to represent Great Britain’s team at this year’s World Transplant Games in Malaga has been given a major boost thanks to a £600 donation by local law firm Lodders.

Simon, who lives in Warwick, was diagnosed with Blood Cancer in 1991 at the age of 26 and after years of treatment and his deteriorating health, was left with no alternative but to have a life-saving bone marrow transplant in July 2012, when a donor match was found.

Since the operation, Simon’s health has steadily improved. A major part of his recovery has been keeping himself in the best possible health and physical shape, scoring some significant personal fitness and sporting achievements along the way, including completing the London Marathon just 18-months after his transplant.

He took part in the British Transplant Games - a qualifier for the World Transplant Games - in Liverpool in July last year, where he won four gold medals and his longed-for selection by Team GB for the 2017 World Games in Spain.

The World Transplant Games take place from Sunday 25 June to Sunday 2 July 2017 and involve almost 2,000 competitors from 70 nations worldwide. All athletes taking part will have received an organ or stem cell transplant, and have to fund their expenses to take part themselves.

In a step to both cover his own costs and raise money for Transplant Sport UK, Simon has launched a fundraising campaign.

“I will cover as much of the cost of getting to Malaga and the kit I need, but the fundraising target has been set at £2,500, to help with these expenses, and importantly, to also generate funds for Transplant Sport UK, the British organising team,” Simon explains.

“My wife Jane is a partner at Lodders and also a keen runner like me, and last year I was invited to join her and Lodders’ corporate team taking part in the Stratford Big 10k event.

“When Lodders’ team heard of my selection for Team GB at The World Transplant Games, they asked how they could help. When I told them of my fundraising campaign, Lodders quickly arranged for the generous donation of £600, the largest donation to my campaign.

“I’ve been given a massive opportunity with Transplant Sport UK to represent Team GB and compete at the 2017 World Transplant Games this summer, and Lodders’ support and that of friends and family also making donations is really making the difference for me to get there.

“The event is important in so many ways, especially as it raises awareness around the world of organ transplantation which saves lives. At the Games, I will be competing at golf and running in the 5K, 1500m and 800m against the world’s best transplant athletes from up to seventy countries,” says Simon, “and I am training hard and looking forward to the whole experience, with my sights on a Gold medal!

“Representing Team GB at the World Transplant Games for Transplant Sport UK represents a major personal achievement. I feel immensely proud to have been selected, and to be alive. But the Games also represent a big part of my quest to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation. In the UK, three people die every day because there are no organ or blood donors for them. It means a lot to me to help raise awareness of blood, stem cell and organ donation.”

Lodders’ senior partner Martin Green comments: “Simon is a true inspiration. He has battled a life-threatening disease and endured major treatment to emerge a highly motivated, driven, and fit individual. The firm is delighted to make the donation and support him on the international stage at the Games which are so important in raising awareness of blood, stem cell and organ donation around the world. Simon’s selection for the Games is a fantastic achievement, especially when you remember the journey he has taken to beat cancer.”

For more information about Simon’s participation in the 2017 World Transplant Games and to make a donation, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/SimonPerkinWTG2017

To join the NHS Organ Donation Register, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk

For more information about the Anthony Nolan Trust, visit: www.anthonynolan.org

Lodders is a premier law firm in Warwickshire, Cheltenham, the North Cotswolds and Gloucestershire.

Established for over 230 years, Lodders in particular works with private individuals, business owners, family businesses, landowners, rural communities, real estate and property owners, developers and investors. The firm has 25 partners, a portfolio of sector and market specific legal teams, over 130 fee earners and support staff across its office network, and has recorded year-on-year growth in recent years.

For more information, visit: www.lodders.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lodders Solicitors LLP .