Karen Rockell, Patient Co-Director of the UK Organ Donation and Transplantation Research Network (UKODTRN), member of the QUOD Steering Committee, and liver recipient took part in multiple swimming events at both the British Transplant Games in Oxford, UK and the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany this summer. She sent us her report of the games.
“The British Transplant Games is a wonderful inclusive event where you meet others who know what it means to have a transplant. The comradery, support, and joy of the event is hard to describe, but being with people who truly understand your organ transplant journey with its ups and downs is hugely beneficial and can be very emotional too. It also gives participants the opportunity to meet donor family members who take such an active part in the running of the games and present the winners with their medals. Hearing their stories is humbling and we can express our gratitude to them even if we do not know our own donor family.
The event gives us an opportunity to promote organ donation by sharing our success stories but also highlighting the statistics on growing waiting lists and information about those who sadly do not survive the wait to receive their gift. Once you have attended a British Transplant Games you are hooked and look forward to the annual event, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.
In is an honour to be selected to represent our country at the World Transplant Games. It is another opportunity to create awareness about organ donation locally and nationally as well as to meet others from across the world who have travelled a similar journey of transplantation. These games bring together athletes from across the world who demonstrate what thriving after transplant looks like. The sporting achievements are increasing year on year as transplant athletes show their prowess in their chosen sport. Many compete beyond the transplant games so the standards are rising exponentially – many world transplant records were broken in 2025 in Dresden!
I won four gold medals in the British Transplant Games and five in the Worlds Transplant Games.”
Huge congratulations to Karen on her incredible achievements and success in the swimming events at the British and World Transplant Games and thank you for sharing your story.
Team GB at Dresden
The British Transplant Swimming Team at Dresden