An 11-year-old boy who had a heart transplant aged six has won two gold medals at the British Transplant Games. Jayden, from Midsomer Norton in Somerset, was swimming for the Great Ormond Street Hospital team and had his medals awarded by the Donor Family Network, something his family said had made it “extra special”. "That’s the reason he is here, because some family said 'yes' to organ donation,” said his grandmother, Sandra Tomlinson.
Following his win, Jayden said he now had a few ambitions, including to be a police officer, a youtuber and to go to the Olympics. The Transplant Games are described as “a celebration of life” and see teams from hospitals across the UK come together to compete in more than 25 sports. Taking place over four days, the competition attracts about 1,000 transplant athletes, including children as young as five.
Jayden was born with the rare heart condition restrictive cardiomyopathy and needed a heart transplant when he was six. He had the transplant at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where the surgery took eight hours. After recovering, he started swimming to keep his new heart strong.
Ms Tomlinson said they had decided to get him individual swimming lessons as “a gift of life”. "It's definitely kept him healthy," she added. Jayden has won other medals in the past, but Ms Tomlinson said they had never expected him to come away with a gold.
Jayden though said he had been determined. "I was in the warm up, I was ready to show everyone who I am and that I want to be a good swimmer," he said. Not only did he come away with two golds for the swimming, but also a number of other medals for other events at the games.
“It was very emotional,” Ms Tomlinson said. “He has worked hard.” Jayden was on the waiting list for the transplant when he last made the news at five years old.
Avon and Somerset Police had heard about his ambition to be in the police force, and an officer arranged for him to be in the police for a day. "We thought that would be one of our last memories,” Ms Tomlinson said. “[Since then] I've had six beautiful years of watching Jayden grow and he's starting secondary school in September.
I'm so proud of him." Several years later, Jayden said he had not given up his dream of "catching criminals and putting them in the cells". Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X .
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