Mansfield boy will feature in British Transplant Games in Nottingham this summer

Henry Entwistle, aged six from Mansfield, is competing at the British Transplant Games this year, as part of the Nottingham Children’s team.

The Westfield Health British Transplant Games aims to demonstrate the benefits of transplantation, encouraging transplant patients to regain fitness, whilst increasing public awareness of the need for donation conversations so that loved ones are fully aware of your wishes.

The Games, the flagship event of Transplant Sport, have been staged annually since 1978 in several host cities including London, Sheffield, Manchester and Newcastle.

This year’s Westfield Health British Transplant Games will be held in Nottingham from the Thursday, August 1, to Sunday, August 4, 2024.

Henry’s transplant journey began when his parents found out in utero that he was going to need a new kidney as soon as he reached 10kg due to kidney damage.

At birth, his kidney function was just six per cent.

When they found out about Henry’s kidney damage, both his dad and grandad were tested and found to be a match.

The family decided his grandad would donate his kidney, hoping that his dad could donate his kidney later in Henry’s life.

Henry underwent a kidney transplant from his grandad at Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham at just 18 months old.

However, he experienced lots of problems during the operation, including a perforated bowel, and was left open and in a coma for 16 days after the transplant due to swelling and spent 3 weeks in the PICU where he suffered a stroke.

After his stroke, Henry was paralysed and his parents were told he may never walk, talk or see again.

Just before he was due to leave, he went into antirejection as he was receiving donor blood.

It took him around 8 to 10 months to walk afterwards.

Today, Henry is doing well and is a typical, vibrant six-year-old who is living with a gastrostomy tube.

He took part in his first British Transplant Games in 2023, where he was one of the youngest competitors, and will be going to the 2024 games to

compete in the donor run, obstacle race, cup stacking and ball throw.