Shrewsbury boy Harry, 5, taking part in British Transplant Games
A five-year-old Shrewsbury boy who underwent a liver transplant is set to take part in the British Transplant Games being staged in Liverpool.
Harry Maceachen, from Herongate, , underwent the lifesaving operation in February.
His father Simon, 41, donated 30 per cent of his liver to his son.
It was the second liver transplant Harry had undergone as he underwent his first just weeks before his first birthday.
Harry was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare and life threatening disease which damages the liver in newborns, when he was nine weeks old. Now the whole family are set to compete in the games, which are held annually.
The opening ceremony was held last night at the city's new Exhibition Centre and there will be four days of spirited competition between athletes who have one thing in common – they have all benefited from transplantation.
Alongside the sporting nature of the event, there is also a more serious message of encouraging others to sign up for the NHS Organ Donation Register as well as helping those who have received a transplant to regain their fitness.
The whole Maceachen family have been preparing hard for the games which attract hundreds of competitors from all over the country.
Harry and his dad took three months to recover from the operation, which was carried out at Birmingham Children's Hospital and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the town.
The games have a varied programme of more than 25 sports, including basketball, table tennis, archery, cricket, golf, badminton, volleyball and track and field - right down to the more leisurely pastimes of fishing, darts and snooker.
There's something for all ages and abilities, including a programme for children.
Harry's whole family has entered the games which encourage patients to regain their fitness after operations.
