Denise
is 46 years old and had a kidney transplant in 1987. She is a part time worker
and her husband is disabled. She has been a member of the Cleveland/Darlington
World Transplant Team for eleven years. She is a competitive swimmer on a
national and international level and takes part in the British and World Transplant
games which help to raise awareness of the need for organ donors and demonstrate
through competition, the benefits of organ transplantation. Denise has swum
for Great Britain in Sydney and won 1 gold and 4 bronze medals. In 1999 she
won four silver and two bronze medals in Budapest and in 2001 won two bronze
medals in Kobe. She has also attended 9 British Transplant Games in consecutive
years winning a total of five gold, nine silver and eleven bronze medals and
was also awarded the trophy for Best Senior Swimmer, two years running.
County Durham Foundation helped Denise with a grant of £1000.
This paid for her flight, accommodation and kit costs to represent Great Britain in the World Transplant Games held in Canada July 2005. The cost per athlete to attend the games was £1,500.
Denise said, “I am very grateful to the Community Action Fund for enabling me to represent Great Britain in the World Transplant Games, Canada 05. Please thank all concerned on my behalf.”
Denise has recently been nominated for a Northern Echo Sporting Hero’s ‘Remarkable Achievement’ Award.