Sheffield Children’s enters first-ever team in the British Transplant Games

This August, a team of young transplant recipients will proudly represent Sheffield Children’s for the first time at the Westfield Health British Transplant Games.

The Games, taking place in Sheffield from 6–9 August, bring together thousands of transplant recipients, living donors and donor families from across the UK to celebrate the life-changing impact of organ and stem cell donation through sport. During July the build up to the Games officially began with transplant athletes, and representatives from the organising team and the Donor Family network took part in a flag relay that visited 12 key locations across Sheffield – including Sheffield Children’s!

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, and 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!

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.

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.

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.”

The team has been preparing for the Games over recent months, supported by their families and clinical teams.

Ezra, who will be competing at this year’s Games, said: “We like to give back and raise awareness of childhood cancer and transplants as much as possible. It’s a great opportunity to meet other families who have had similar journeys and also a lovely way to celebrate being better.”

The Games also provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of organ and stem cell donation, recognising the extraordinary generosity of donors and their families who make these life-changing transplants possible.

Transplants at Sheffield Children’s

Transplants are in the fabric of Sheffield Children’s history. In 1988 Sheffield Children’s was the first centre to do an unrelated umbilical cord transplant in the UK.

Now, Sheffield Children’s operates a dedicated Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT)/Bone Marrow Transplant programme for children and young adults. It is one of 12 transplant centres across the UK and Ireland, is JACIE* and Human Tissue Authority accredited. 

It is the primary Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant centre for young people in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, and also provides support for urgent bone marrow transplant cases across the UK and Ireland where needed – with an inpatient unit, with 14 beds and isolation cubicles for protective isolation with an attached day care and clinic area.

The transplant programme performs both autologous (using patient’s own cells) and allogeneic (using donor cells) transplants for malignant and non-malignant blood disorders. It also works closely with other regional centres for radiotherapy.

For solid organ transplants, such as lungs, kidney’s or hearts, Sheffield Children’s collaborates with specialised national centres, while providing some of the ongoing pre- and post-transplant care locally.

Organ Donation

While organ transplants take place in specialist national centres, Sheffield Children’s plays a vital role in the organ donation pathway. When, despite every effort, a child’s injuries or illness are not survivable, specially trained teams work closely with families to provide compassionate end-of-life care and, where appropriate, support conversations about organ donation.

The lasting impact of organ donation is reflected in the stories of Nathan and Dan, two Sheffield Children’s patients whose families chose to donate their organs in the midst of unimaginable loss. Nathan went on to help six people through organ donation, while Dan’s heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas transformed the lives of four recipients. You can read their stories here – https://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/news/remembering-nathan-and-dan-organ-donation-awareness-week/ where their families have since shared their experiences to encourage others to have conversations about organ donation, showing how one child’s legacy can give hope and a future to many others.

Thank you

A huge thank you to Westfield Health and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity for sponsoring and supporting this event – it is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of transplants and celebrate the brilliant work our colleagues do to create healthier futures for children and young people.

 *JACIE – Joint Accreditation Committee of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) and European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT). It is Europe’s premier non-profit organisation that sets international standards and provides inspection-based accreditation for stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy programmes.