12:00a.m. 23rd August 2007

| By Rae Wilson

Gift of life: Brian Campbell is a kidney recipient while Mary Long's husband had a heart transplant and Vernon Wells received a kidney in 1991. Photo: David Thomas

Four is the number of years that Vernon Wells spent waiting for a donor kidney.

Sixteen is the number of healthy years the 65-year-old has enjoyed since receiving his gift from an unknown donor.

Eight is Mr Wells’ current medal tally for competing in nine events in the World Transplant Games.

And from this weekend, the Buddina cyclist and runner hopes to add another five medals to that tally when he competes in the 16th World Transplant Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

“I love sport and I love the competitiveness,” he said.

“The side issue of the transplant games is donor awareness because Australia has one of the lowest donation rates in the world.

“It also proves people who have had transplants can go on and live a normal life.”

While he wouldn’t have called himself sporty before the transplant, Mr Wells cycles three days a week and runs three days a week to train for the games.

He will compete in a cycling time trial and 20km cycle road race, and run the 5km, 400m and 200m.

Mr Wells, who competed in the games in France and Canada as well, is defending his title of world champion in road racing and his world record in a 5km time trial.

“I have had 16 years of wonderful life because of a gift that someone I don’t know gave me,” he said.

“There’s lots of people on dialysis who have miserable lives waiting donation.

“They could die before they get them and if I can do something to help them (by raising awareness) I’ll do it.”

Australian transplant games team assistant manager Mary Long, whose husband had a heart transplant, said the games were about “showing our donor families that these people really are valuing what they received”.

“The World Transplant Games ... give transplant recipients the opportunity to compete in high intensity sports primarily to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation,” she said.

“Australia has a growing reputation as a top competitor in these Games and have consistently performed to a high standard.

“Australia has ranked within the top three nations for many years.

“Despite our success, many Australians are unaware of our participation in these games. It is not unusual to hear the public respond ‘I didn’t know such an event existed’.

“(But it’s) a wonderful way for donor families to realise the impact of their gift in restoring good health and a renewed focus on quality of life.”