Gary Spendlove, Mayor of Belper and Managing Director of Slenderella, is planning a 100 mile walk round Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire at the end of January to raise awareness of carrying an organ donor card. He’s doing the 7-day trek with Belper-based World Transplant Games athlete Simon Elmore. “There are 6,500 people on the transplant list in the UK, many in the local area, and around 1,000 people every year die waiting for a transplant,” explained Gary. “Meeting Simon was an inspiration as he has shown what can be achieved with the gift of a kidney.”
The 41-year-old family man suffered kidney failure 8 years ago and was struck down by serious health problems linked to it. In January 2015 after years of dialysis Simon received his life-saving kidney transplant and within months was competing in the British Transplant Games in Gateshead, winning several silver and bronze medals in a range of events from running relay races to archery.
Gary and Simon will be walking from one local hospital to another and are also planning to give a series of talks to build awareness about organ donation, as well as fundraising for a local renal support group VIRS, Anthony Nolan Trust, British Kidney Patient Association and the Nottingham Transplant Team.
