Five medals for heart transplant golden girl

Aug 11 2007 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

A TEENAGER from Runcorn who is to compete in the World Transplant Games in Thailand later this month has warmed up for the event by winning five gold medals.

Jade Carr, 13, saw off all opposition in her age category at the UK games in Edinburgh to win gold in table-tennis, badminton, long jump and throwing, and smashing her personal best in the 100 metres sprint event.

She has also won both Halton Borough Council and Merseyside funding to help her train to be the best in the world.

All-rounder Jade, who lives in Higher Runcorn, has now competed at 11 British Transplant Games, winning more than 20 medals even before her latest haul.

Competing for the Harefield Hospital Children’s Team, she also won the special Avon Trophy, presented to the best child in the 12 to 15-year-old category.

Jade, who received a heart transplant 10 years ago, got a £500 Halton Sports Development Grant, £100 from the Merseyside Sports Bursary fund and £250 from Halton Borough Council’s Community Development department.

Jade said: “I am really pleased with my performance. I have been training really hard and am so excited about going to Thailand, it is going to be amazing”.

Her father, Rob Carr, said he was extremely proud of what his daughter had achieved: “She really excelled this time. She just seems to be going from strength to strength”.

Last year the Helsby High School pupil won silver in table tennis. This year she has been training at Halton Table Tennis Club as well as practising athletics at Halton and Frodsham Harriers and badminton at Britannia Badminton Club.

Jade was diagnosed in 1993 with the heart condition Dilated Cardiomyopathy at the age of four months and her life hung in the balance.

By 1996 her heart function was down to just 13% and she was listed for transplant, which she received at Harefield Hospital after a six- month wait.

Her mum Lynne said she was amazed at what Jade has achieved: “We are so proud of her, all the hard work is paying off. She doesn’t get much time to herself because she wants to be at her best for the world games”.

A campaign has been set up at www.livelifethengivelife.co.uk to encourage people to think about joining the organ donor register, and you can also log onto www.uktransplant.org.uk

lizawilliams