News / Help Zoe reach the World Transplant Games
A SHETLANDER who has been selected to represent Great Britain at next year’s World Transplant Games in Spain is looking for donations to help fund her trip.
Zoe Buchanan, who has born with the genetic condition Russell-Silver Syndrome, will take part in the badminton and table tennis events at the summer games in Malaga.
It will be the second time 21 year old has taken part in the event, while she has previously been involved in five British transplant games, winning 15 medals in the process.
However, participants need to pay their own way to the games, meaning that Buchanan has launched a fundraising drive to get her to Malaga.
Any leftover funds will be put towards Transplant Sport UK’s management staff, who provide support to the team.
Zoe’s condition affects her growth and mobility, and also causes asymmetry in the organs.
She weighed less than 4lbs when she was born and had one kidney three times larger than the other, with only a 33 per cent function between them both.
When Zoe was aged just 13 her kidneys failed and she was placed on dialysis. However, some months later, she was given a new kidney from her mother.
The sportswoman said she is “humbled” by the amount of donations she has already received. Future events are planned in the new year to generate more funds and raise awareness for the Organ Donor Register.
Her health battles weren’t finished after the kidney transplant, however. Zoe was later diagnosed with the unrelated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with causes the heart’s lining to thicken.
This meant that she was unable to represent Great Britain at the 2015 World Transplant Games in Argentina, as she had to be monitored regularly.
“To be able to represent Transplant GB again next year in Malaga is an amazing opportunity that I’m incredibly proud to be part of,” Zoe said.
“To get the chance to do what I love at the highest level is something I would never of dreamed about when my health was poor last year.”
To donate to Zoe’s campaign, visit her JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Zoe-Buchanan3
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