Massive congratulations to NHS Forth Valley’s Race for Recipients team which was the winning NHS Board and the first team in the UK to smash 7000km target.
The national race, which coincided with this year’s Organ Donation Week, challenged hospitals across the UK to travel 7,000km in recognition of the 7,000 people in the UK currently waiting for a life-saving transplant and each region to cover 50,000km, representing the number of people alive today thanks to life-saving transplants.
Over the 9-day race period, 100 staff participated in the challenge and clocked up a staggering total of 11,652.6km to come, not only first in the region of Scotland, but first nationally.
Abby Short, Clinical Lead for Organ and Consultant in intensive care and anaesthetics, said: “It was great to see people from all areas of the hospital and community clock up the kilometres through cycling, running, walking, swimming and other activities as well as enter into some friendly inter-hospital competition.
“Special mention has to go to Thomas Kelgiorgis and Peter Beatty for travelling a phenomenal 1490.1km between them. Forth Valley Royal Hospital has definitely stamped its mark in this competition and will be the one to beat next year. Watch out for the call to take part in next year’s race and thanks to everyone who took part this year and helped achieved such a fantastic result which we can all be hugely proud of.”
Below are photos of just some of the staff taking part in this year’s Race for Recipients challenge. You can find out more about the event and the see the results of all the winning teams below.
During Organ Donation Week, work was also undertaken to highlight the stories of local patients who are waiting on an organ transplant. These included 51-year-old Peter Donaldson who undergoes kidney dialysis three times a week at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Three of Peter’s friends and his wife Pauline all volunteered to donate a kidney but after testing only his wife was suitable, but her blood group and tissue didn’t match. Peter, however, remains positive and is keen to encourage other people to consider donating a kidney as they are supported at every stage of the process.
He also said he was heartened that nine patients from Forth Valley have had kidney transplants recently which he believes may be due to the new legislation in Scotland where everyone has a choice when it comes to organ and tissue donation – to be a donor or to opt out.
To register you donation decision and find out more about organ donation visit Organ Donation Scotland or by calling 0300 123 2323.
