An incredible transplant patient from Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Tia's story is one of courage, resilience and hope.

After many years living a strong and healthy lifestyle, in 2021, Tia's life was turned upside down when she suffered multiple cardiac arrests and was placed on the urgent heart transplant list.

After spending over 5 months on a ward, apart from her family, including her 6-month-old son, Tia finally heard the news she'd been dreaming of - a viable heart had been found. Thanks to the exceptional care she received at the QE, Tia is now back with her family and more determined than ever to make the most of the gift given to her by her donor.

This Organ Donation Awareness Week (23-29 September) is also the 30th anniversary of the NHS Organ Donor Register. Current estimates are that 45% of people in the UK are signed up to the register. In the 30 years since it began, almost 60,000 lives have been saved through organ transplants in the UK. Despite this fantastic figure, over 7,500 people are waiting for transplants in the UK.

Today, we're asking for your help. By donating to the QE Transplant Appeal, you can ensure that more patients like Tia from across the country receive the support they need before, during and after their life-saving treatment. The new Edmonds Transplant Centre Birmingham will bring all the specialist care to patients in one place, including pre-transplant consultations, additional fitness classes before surgery, patient support groups, and rehabilitation classes after surgery.

We are so close to our £4 million target and would love for you to help us build this lifeline for our transplant patients and their families.

Please make a donation today. Every penny makes a big difference. Thank you.

Donate to fund

If you need support in having the conversation with your family about organ donation, you can visit: organdonation.nhs.uk

The Birmingham Adult Transplant Sport Team is made up of recipients of solid organ, stem cell or bone marrow transplants. Members range in age from 18 to over 80, all of whom have used sport to help their recovery after their transplants. Some of the members have even donated organs themselves.

After transplant, everyone has different aspirations. For many in the team, years of illness had severely restricted their lifestyle. Getting back to being active is not only an essential part of the recovery process, but also a way of the transplant recipient demonstrating to themselves how far they have come.

Each year, the team participated in the British Transplant Games. For many, being at the games is a victory in itself. There are a whole range of events to participate in, with different levels of intensity of activity. Whilst participants are encouraged to compete with one another, the games are a perfect opportunity to enjoy being with friends, have fun and enjoy life.

The Birmingham Adult Transplant Sport Team has had a lot of success over the years, with some members even going on to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland in the World and European Transplant Games.