A FORMER Salisbury resident competed in the World Transplant Games, 30 years after having a heart transplant.
Lucy Ryan, who moved to Salford to study theatre and performance practice, represented Team Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Perth, Australia.
The bi-annual event ran from April 15 to 21 and saw transplanted athletes from 45 countries across the globe take part in more than 20 sporting activities.
Team GB & NI was the biggest team in attendance after the host country, Australia, and returned home with 121 gold, 96 silver and 71 bronze medals.
Highlights from the week saw Team GB&NI win gold medals in both the men’s and women’s 400m relay and 100m relay races and break world records at the cycling track with a gold medal in the women’s 50m freestyle relay.
Lucy came away with a silver medal after competing in the 3km racewalk and placed sixth in the 100m sprint. She also took part in the ball throw event.
When she was just three years old, Lucy had a heart transplant and this year's "once-in-a-lifetime experience" coincided with her 30th heart transplant anniversary.
Lucy said: "It was quite surreal to think that thanks to my donor and their family, and the wonderful medical care and my family that I am not only still alive three decades on but competing for my country."
The Transplant Games opened with a ceremony where all 45 teams paraded through Perth and across the Matagarup Bridge into the Optus Stadium.
Competing in the 25-degree-plus heat added its own layer of challenge, but Lucy said there were opportunities to attend cultural events too.
"Alongside the training days and competing there was time to let your hair down a bit, for example when attending the Cultural Evening at the Boola Bardip Museum in Perth where you were encouraged to wear their country's cultural dress," she added.
Lucy said it was an honour to compete for her country and to raise some awareness of the benefits of transplantation, as well as the need for more donors.
She added: "I literally couldn't have attended the games and had this amazing, intense experience without everyone's support back home!"
Lucy was sponsored by a number of local businesses, including NFU Mutual Wessex and Salisbury Racecourse.
Next, Lucy is gearing up to complete a 10,000ft skydive on Monday, May 29. She will freefall for thirty seconds - one second for every extra year of life thanks to her donor.
To support her fundraiser, visit gofund.me/c97540f4.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here