FINISH LINE: Heart transplant recipient Trish Kramer crosses the finish line in the three-kilometre walk without stopping in the Australian Transplant Games on Saturday.
She did it!
Orange heart transplant recipient Trish Kramer crossed the finish line in the three-kilometre walk in the Australian Transplant Games on Saturday.
“It just feels so fantastic,” she said.
“And I did it without stopping.
“This is something I have been working towards all year and now I’ve finally done it. I can’t explain how it feels.”
Yesterday was understandably a rest day for the young Orange woman, who has faced enormous challenges since she received her new heart just over eighteen months ago.
Mrs Kramer has been so sick over the last few weeks she could not get out of bed some days.
“It has been really hard at times,” she said.
“But now being here on the coast and taking part I feel so energised.”
Mrs Kramer also took part in the Scrabble tournament as part of the games and will go head to head with fellow transplant recipients in the trivia sessions tomorrow night.
“When you’ve had a transplant there are just a lot of physical things you can’t do and that’s why the games include these other activities,” she said.
The Australian Transplant Games are being held in Newcastle.
The games are held every two years and donor families are invited along to be part of the supportive crowd.
“Of course none of us know whose family may have been involved in the transplant process, but you can’t help wondering when you look around up here if there’s someone whose loved one gave me their heart,” Mrs Kramer said.
Mrs Kramer completed her walk in one hours and 11 minutes.
