Mark strikes gold in transplant games

A double lung transplant patient from Staffordshire has won gold in a European sporting challenge.

Mark Allen, aged 38, also won two bronze medals in the European Heart and Lung Games in Sweden.

Mark, from Cannock Wood, who used to work in the Stafford office of the Express & Star, won gold in the men's doubles at table tennis at Vaxjo, plus bronze in the men's table tennis singles and in the Swedish ball throw.

There were hundreds of competitors from 23 countries at the event which lasted from June 30 to July 4.

Mark, who received his transplant on his birthday in October 2005, has just 22 per cent lung capacity, thanks to a bout of rejection in 2006, said his main problem was stamina, as he was competing against people with 100 per cent lung capacity. "I did get very tired but luckily I got a break between each game. My age group was the largest and I had to play 19 games to win my table tennis medals.

"I don't know how many years I will be able to still compete so it was gratifying to do well in my first European games. It was a lot friendlier than the British version and therefore more fun."

The games are designed to promote organ donation throughout Europe.

Mark, a press officer with Halton Borough Council press officer, now lives in Widnes. He is competing in the British Transplant Games in Bath at the end of August. Mark was born with the lung disease cystic fibrosis but has tried not let it stop him doing anything.

He worked and studied abroad but while working in South Korea caught a serious infection and was in intensive care for weeks, comatosed for days and not expected to pull through. He did, however, and after a month his parents were able to bring him home.

Because of mistakes in his treatment, he needed 26 operations on his trachea and his lungs couldn't cope with this and he was put on the transplant list for a double lung transplant.

After his transplant he had 12 months good health, but then had chronic rejection and once more faced death.

The European event was run by the World Transplant Games Federation which was set up to demonstrate the benefits of successful organ transplantation. It works to increase public awareness and increase organ donation rates.

It has achieved a 30 per cent or better increase in organ donation rates in those countries which have hosted the Games.