A teenager from Lincolnshire has won seven gold medals at the World Transplant Games in Argentina. 16-year-old Declan Bennett also set five tournament records.
He won gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m breaststroke as well as in the 4x50m medley relay and 4x50m freestyle relay, and was named Outstanding Junior Male of the 20th World Transplant Games in Mar del Plata,
Declan, from Woodhall Spa, received a living donor kidney transplant from his father Guy in 2009.
When Declan was aged seven he was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. The donated kidney from his father enabled Declan to work towards a healthy lifestyle and return to the many sporting activities he enjoyed prior to surgery.
Guy said: “Transplantation is a treatment and not a cure, so at some point in the future Declan will require another transplant or maybe several more. This may come from a relative, an altruistic donor or from a donor who has died.”
Declan had travelled to Argentina in fine form having claimed five individual swim gold medals and track relay silver and bronze at the British Transplant Games on 1st August.
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