'I had a transplant - now I compete for my country'

A tennis and squash enthusiast is set to take part in the British Transplant Games in his home city, less than three years after he received a new liver.

James Lawton from Oxford underwent a liver transplant in 2022, having been diagnosed with the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) 16 years before.

He is now planning to compete when the Olympics-style event for athletes who have received an organ donation takes place in Oxford this summer.

"I've gone from this place where I couldn't walk up the stairs at home, and now I'm able to compete," he said.

He was largely unaffected by PSC for more than a decade, before his condition took a turn for the worse in 2019 and he was eventually placed on the transplant waiting list.

Talking about his condition, Mr Lawton told BBC Oxford: "What's so bizarre about it is I had 13 years where it didn't [affect me] and I just got on with life."

He recalled how we went "very rapidly" from feeling well and healthy to something "not being quite right".

He was referred to the Royal Free Hospital in London, but said things actually improved, before his condition deteriorated again in 2022 and he was placed on the transplant waiting list.

Mr Lawton said: "There's this battle between wanting to be well, but actually knowing you're going to have to get really ill before you get so bad that you need the transplant.

"Your life is on hold because you don't know how long it's going to be."

After four months on the list, Mr Lawton received a transplant.

"I got 10 minutes with my wife and kids so we just prayed together, cried together and I said goodbye. I was very fortunate to get a new liver and be here today," he said.

Mr Lawton added he had an "incredible transformation" since his transplant.

Just days after his surgery and still in intensive care, Mr Lawton signed up to join Transplant Active - the group that organises the annual British Transplant Games.

The multi-sport festival, which features more than 1,000 athletes, all of whom have received organ transplants.

2025's event is due to take place in Oxford from 31 July - 3 August.

Mr Lawton said the "amazing event" was "about promoting organ donation, and we [the competitors] are there as a testimony to 'this saves lives".

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