DPAG Lab Technician Mark Selwood has been chosen to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the World Transplant Games

Congratulations are in order for Wade-Martins Group Lab Technician Mark Selwood, who has been chosen to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 24th World Transplant Games to be held in Australia next year.

The World Transplant Games is a major bi-annual event bringing together thousands of transplant athletes, their families and supporters for a week's celebration of the gift of life. Since its inaugural event in 1978, the Games have grown to become the world's largest awareness event of its kind, aiming each year to promote organ donation, encourage more people across the world to register and support donation, and to help recipients improve their health and fitness around their transplanted organ.

Apprentice Lab Technician Mark Selwood has been selected to compete for Team GB in multiple track events. Mark was born with a genetic liver disease called Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency which resulted in a liver transplant at the age of 14 in the year 2014 at the Birmingham Children's Hospital. Each year, Mark takes part in the British Transplant Games (BTG) for his current hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (Birmingham Adults), and won medals in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 4x100 relay at BTG 2022. Shortly afterwards, he received an invitation for the first time to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland in these four events on an international stage. As part of his preparations, Mark trains twice a week at the Abingdon Athletics Club, and at home on other days.

Mark said: "I was very thrilled to be selected and I am very much looking forward to participating in a sport that I thoroughly enjoy. As part of the commitment, I will attend mandatory training with the GB team; the first of which is at Radley College on Sunday 30 October, and I am looking forward to meeting my fellow team members."

The 24th World Transplant Games are taking place in Perth, Australia between Saturday 15 and Friday 23 April 2023.

Written by: Talitha Smith