A Wishaw woman has spoken of her pride at representing Great Britain at the World Transplant Games - exactly five years after her life changing operation.
Karen Casey will travel to Newcastle and take part in three events at the Games with the 52-year-old aiming to strike gold in archery, darts and ten-pin bowling.
Karen said: “It’s going to be very emotional. It’s going to be quite strange competing exactly five years after my life changed.
“I can’t wait to be part of such a big event. There’s going to be 2,300 competitors with people travelling from all over the world to be there.
“I’ve been part of Team Lanarkshire in the British Transplant Games but this is a different level.
“My dog Bindi is coming with me. She’s became the team’s mascot!
“I’m a lot more active. When I was younger and PE was on at school I’d be running the other way!
“Now I’m an archery coach which is something I would never have done before the transplant.”
Karen was only 19 when she received the devastating news that her kidneys would last only 10 years.
Because of the care she received, Karen got 24 years before she needed dialysis.
She then spent a gruelling four years on dialysis for more than four hours a day, three times a week.
Finally, in August 2014, a suitable organ was found and Karen underwent the kidney transplant she had longed for.
Yet, post-transplant complications left her with a life-threatening rare lung infection.
She said: “I was driving to my house at 11.30pm at night and had a couple of missed calls on my phone.
“Once I answered they told me they had a donor and I was in the theatre at 6.15am.
“The transplant took around two and a half hours.
“However, I contracted an infection which really floored me.
“It was a long time coming back. It took me 18 months to really get back on my feet.
“But the difference now is brilliant.”
