A NINE-YEAR-OLD Darlington girl is going for gold in the British Transplant Games this year.

Tegan Ross – who underwent a liver transplant as a baby – took home a silver and a bronze medal from last year’s competition and hopes to net a gold at the games next month.

She hopes to use her success at the games to inspire people to sign the organ donation register and give other children and adults the chance to live a happy life like hers.

The schoolgirl said: “I’m glad I had my transplant because it made me better and I get to go to the Transplant Games.

“I feel bad that my family had to watch me getting sick and sometimes I get ill easily, but I feel very thankful to my donor for giving it to me.”

Tegan and her best friend Lennox Nicholson both underwent liver transplants at St James Hospital in Leeds as babies and will represent the Leeds Children’s Transplant Team at the games, taking place in August.

The pair must raise £350 each to compete and are currently working hard with their families to fundraise, with Tegan holding a sponsored silence and selling home-made loom-bands.

Michelle Davidson, Tegan’s mother, said the games played an important part in raising awareness and encouraging people to sign the organ donation register.

She said: “Tegan is doing fantastically well and she wouldn’t be here without the transplant.

“Words can’t describe what that family have given us in our beautiful, healthy daughter.

“There are too many people dying waiting for a transplant and that’s sad, we don’t need our organs when we’re gone so why not create a fantastic opportunity for someone else.”

To help Tegan and Lennox get to the Transplant Games, visit justgiving.com/teganlennox3k.