Inspirational teen who had life-saving transplant aged three bags medals at international games
A sporty teenager, who had a life-saving liver transplant operation aged three, is aiming to shine again on the British stage.
Kristof Polgar, from Kingswinford, excels at tennis, badminton, squash and table tennis as well as regularly pounding the streets on 3K runs and playing for Kewford Eagles at football on a Sunday.
The 15-year-old Summerhill School pupil will compete in the British Transplant Games at Warwick University from July 27-30 after bagging four gold medals at the World Transplant games in April in Western Australia.
Kristof had a liver transplant operation at Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s world-renowned specialist unit after he was diagnosed with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) – a disorder that causes progressive liver disease, which typically leads to liver failure.
At the Warwick event he will take part in table tennis, tennis and badminton, dropping the squash element but replacing it with a 5K run.
Kristof only took up squash last year and plays at Stourbridge Lawn Tennis Club. For table tennis, he trains under renowned coach Helen Lower, a former England international, and plays tennis to a high standard at the Tipton Academy. He was also a torch bearer for the Birmingham, Commonwealth Games last year.
But the youngster, who admits he ‘lives eats and breathes sport’ said the camaraderie and team spirit in the world and British events is just as important as the medals and he hopes for more of the same next month.
He said: “I was given a great gift of life from my donor and aim to make the most of it and do sport as long as I can.
"It is great competing, and winning, at a high level but the British Transplant Games is more about being inclusive and giving everyone who is eligible the chance to compete.”
Kristof's mother, Erika, said the family still keep in regular touch with Angie Land, the mother of Kristof’s donor, Justin.
She said: “We are forever grateful to them, as well as to everyone at Birmingham Children’s Hospital who continue to care for Kristof and will do so when he is an adult – the work they do is amazing. The school have been so supportive of him as well.
"It is incredible, he has gone on to have so many opportunities to compete at a high level in all of the sports he does, and his dedication and determination to pay back the gift of life he has been given shines through.”
To find out more about organ donation visit organdonation.nhs.uk and for more information about the transplant games visit www.transplantsport.org.uk
