Nathan Black, a 58-year-old triathlete and former bodybuilder from Burntwood, has expressed his gratitude to the anonymous kidney donor who transformed his life. Mr Black sent his medals from the British Transplant Games to the donor, Paddy, after receiving a kidney through the paired donor scheme.
Mr Black developed renal failure in 2011 and spent years on dialysis. A transplant from his mother in 2013 failed after 10 weeks, leading to a return to dialysis for over three years.
Following his second transplant, Mr Black returned to fitness, competing in five British Transplant Games and winning two silver and one bronze medal. He also represented Team GB at the World Transplant Games. For seven years, Mr Black sent a medal and a thank you note to his anonymous donor after each British Transplant Games.
In 2023, staff at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital informed Mr Black that the donor wished to exchange details. The pair subsequently met in August 2024 at the British Transplant Games in Nottingham.