by Dona Hall
Ace archer Sam Newton has retained his title at the European Transplant and Dialysis Games – making him the current British, World and European champion.
Newton, who is a 41-year-old teaching assistant at Spalding Academy and head coach at Spalding Volleyball Club, achieved his latest accolade at Oxford last week.
More than 400 athletes from 25 countries competed in 15 sports at the games –from athletics, cycling and swimming to football, tennis, and darts.
Newton won gold medals in archery and team volleyball, helping team Great Britain and Northern Ireland top the medals board.
Transplant survivor Newton actually won gold medals in both archery and team volleyball, helping team Great Britain and Northern Ireland reach the top of the medals board.
Following a tough couple of years transplant recipients and dialysis patients have experienced fear and isolation having to shield during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The games showcase how such individuals can live successful and active lives and gives them the opportunity to compete, connect and socialise with others who have undergone similar treatment.
The event is also a platform to promote organ donation as ‘the gift of life’ and is supported by volunteers and donor families.
Newton’s story began when he developed type one diabetes at the age of three – around the time when he started to learn archery with his dad who ran a local archery club. By the age of 20, his health started to deteriorate.
He said: “The diabetes had a negative effect on my kidneys, and I was told he would need a kidney transplant.
“I had to take lots of drugs to keep me going, still inject insulin for diabetes, and I became clinically depressed”.
However, his life changed when he received a kidney transplant in February 2014 at Addenbrookes Hospital.
He added: “I was able to compete in the British Transplant Games that same year winning gold medals in archery and volleyball.”
Since then, Newton has competed in several national, European and World Transplant Games winning a host of medals including gold at the World Transplant Games in 2019 and is now GB team captain for archery.
As well as thanking Addenbrookes and Transplant Sport, Newton also took the time to praise the Transplant Sport therapy team who have given him ongoing treatment and, of course, his donor.
He said: “They have kept me going and I would not have been able to compete to such a high level without their support.
“The donor family’s decision to allow that organ donation has saved my life and I shall be eternally grateful. My idea of honouring my donor is to bring home a gold medal.”
