Transplant patients from Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have returned home from the British Transplant Games 2025 with multiple medals and the coveted 'best heart and lungs hospital' team trophy after a successful weekend in Oxford.
In total 43 competitors represented the hospital in various disciplines, including archery, squash, badminton, volleyball, table tennis, cycling, 10 pin bowling, darts, golf, tennis, walk racing, swimming, track & field and pétanque.
Events at the Games included table tennis
They won 50 medals, including 16 golds, 16 silvers and 18 bronze in a competitive field that included more than 1,000 heart, lung, kidney, liver and stem cell transplant recipients from across the UK.
Our team ranged from recipients 23 years post-transplant to Frank, who received a lung transplant just earlier this year and took part in a 2.5K walk and 5K walk. Before his transplant he simply would not have been able to do this.
43 competitors represented Royal Papworth Hospital at the 2025 Games
Such has been Royal Papworth’s continued commitment to the Games, that this year marks the 18th time since 1987 that the team trophy has come home to our hospital.
What’s most important though is the opportunity that these Games provide for our patients.
Ann Thompson, Royal Papworth's proud team manager, said: "It was a fantastic weekend and our transplant recipients did themselves, the hospital and their donors proud.
"In addition to our competitors we had fellow transplant recipients, over 60 family and friends, colleagues from Royal Papworth Charity and team lead physiotherapist, Emma Matthews supporting them. Without doubt we were the largest adult team.
"The camaraderie of this team is second to none, everyone was supporting each other. Recipients from 23 years post-transplant to those under a year took part to showcase what can be achieved after transplant, achieve their own personal goals and remember and celebrate organ donation, their donors and the donor families.
"It is also all about remembering the donor families and what their gift can allow recipients to achieve."
She added: "Personal highlights for me include team photos in front of Blenheim Palace at the start of the Games and watching the emotional reaction of families as their loved ones were cheered on by hundreds of people."
Some of the team outside Blenheim Palace, one of the venues used for the British Transplant Games 2025
Congratulations to every member of Team Royal Papworth who participated in this year's Games. A huge thank you to Royal Papworth Charity for their continued support of the team and to all the staff, supporters and volunteers who helped cheer everyone on.
We are very proud of you all.
Further photos from the British Transplant Games 2025 can be found on our Facebook page.
