Meet Freddie – competing for Sheffield Children’s in the British Transplant Games!

Meet Freddie – from transplant patient to British Transplant Games competitor!

Four years after receiving a life-saving bone marrow transplant at Sheffield Children’s, 15-year-old Freddie is preparing to represent the hospital at the British Transplant Games.

Freddie, from Sheffield, is one of the team members competing as part of Sheffield Children’s first-ever team at the Games, which take place across Sheffield this August. 

The Games

The Games, taking place in Sheffield from 6–9 August, bring together thousands of transplant recipients, living donors and donor families to celebrate the life-changing impact of organ and stem cell donation through sport.

The 2026 Games are particularly special for Sheffield Children’s as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. For the first time, Sheffield Children’s is entering its own team, sponsored by Westfield Health and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.

For 150 years, Sheffield Children’s has been driven by its commitment to create healthier futures for every child. From everyday concerns to complex conditions and life-saving treatment, Sheffield Children’s has cared for children, young people and their families across Sheffield, South Yorkshire and beyond. Today, that same belief remains unchanged: every child deserves the same chance to be healthy, no matter where they live or what challenges they face.

A life-changing journey

Freddie was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and, at the age of 11, received a life-saving bone marrow transplant at Sheffield Children’s.

Freddie had four courses of chemotherapy but sadly his leukaemia relapsed and he went on to receive a life-saving stem cell transplant at Sheffield Children’s. The cells for his transplant came from the umbilical cord of a baby whose parents had donated the cord blood cells at the time of his birth, knowing that they may one day be used to save another person’s life.

His treatment and recovery were challenging at times, but Freddie says the nurses and everyone involved in his care on Ward 6 did everything they could to make the experience easier.

He said: “The nurses and everyone involved at Ward 6 did the best they could to make the experience easier.”

Four years on from his transplant, Freddie is now looking forward to taking part in the British Transplant Games and celebrating how far he has come.

Back doing what he loves

Freddie is a keen football fan and player. He goes to all Sheffield United games, both home and away, and also plays football in the junior Sunday league.

Freddie has won silver and bronze medals at previous Games, when he represented the Leeds Transplant Team, and has his sights set on further success this year in badminton, table tennis, ten-pin bowling and potentially the 400m too.

Taking part in the British Transplant Games is an exciting milestone in Freddie’s recovery, having competed previously before with another team, he is glad to support his home hospital Sheffield Children’s and a chance to celebrate the life he has been able to build following his transplant.

But Freddie is not just going to take part – he wants to win.

He said: “I want to win a gold for Sheffield Children’s.”

His love of sport and competitive spirit have given him an ambitious goal: to win gold and represent the hospital that cared for him.

Freddie’s story is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of bone marrow transplantation and the incredible resilience of young people recovering from serious illness. As he joins Sheffield Children’s first-ever British Transplant Games team, he’ll be celebrating not only his own recovery, but also the care he received and the opportunities that transplantation has made possible.

The Sheffield Children’s team

Nine young people from Sheffield Children’s will compete as part of Team Sheffield Children’s across a range of sporting events. Each has their own unique story of resilience and determination, united by the life-changing impact of transplantation.

The team includes children and young people who have received kidney, bone marrow, stem cell and double lung transplants, with competitors travelling from across the region – and beyond – to take part under the Sheffield Children’s banner.

The British Transplant Games are about much more than medals. They celebrate the generosity of donors and their families, promote the benefits of physical activity after transplant, and give recipients the opportunity to meet others who share similar experiences. Sheffield Children’s will be joining adult competitors from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as part of the city’s hosting team. Sheffield 2026 is on track to be the largest in Games history with a record number of 2,857 people registered to participate!

Yvonne Millard, Chief Nurse at Sheffield Children’s, said:

“We’re incredibly proud to be entering a Sheffield Children’s team in the British Transplant Games for the very first time. Each member of our team has shown remarkable courage and resilience, and their participation is a celebration of how transplantation can help children and young people build healthier futures.

“As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, it’s a privilege to cheer on these inspirational young people while recognising the extraordinary generosity of donors and their families, whose gift has made these moments possible.”