A YOUNG man is now pursuing his sporting dreams after coming through a heart transplant four years ago.

Table tennis ace, Callum Turner, 19, from Rochford, will represent Great Britain in the World Transplant Games this summer in Newcastle.

He won gold at the British Transplant Games last year.

South Essex College sports student, Callum, had a heart transplant at the age of 15 which saved his life and gave him the chance to take up sport again.

Now he wants to promote organ donor as much as possible.

He said: “I have been poorly since birth, but always had a great passion for sport, particularly football.

“Being told I had to stop playing for my local team at the age of 11 due to my heart problems was devastating.

“Although I was unable to take part, my love of sport never ever stopped.

“My health deteriorated during my early teens resulting in me being added to the urgent heart transplant list in March 2015. “I received my gift of life at Great Ormond Street Hospital four weeks later from a total stranger to who I will be forever thankful to.”

Callum then realised he had a talent for table tennis after he took it up at college while studying for a BTEC in sport.

When Callum’s health gradually started to improve following the heart transplant, he decided to enrol for the British Transplant Games in Birmingham last year, to compete in football, badminton and table tennis. Callum, has been helped to achieve his dreams thanks to grants totalling £400 from Essex Community Foundation and Ajvir Singh Sandhu Leadership Fund.

Callum added: “I am so grateful for these generous grants which are going towards my expenses to compete.

“When I competed last year, I wasn’t expecting much, I was just happy to be taking part and totally inspired by all the other transplant recipients.

“To my surprise, I won gold in the table tennis, which meant I received an automatic place in the Transplant World Games.

“I am so pleased and honoured to represent Team Great Britain and to be able to continue to promote organ donation.”