ICU Sister Caroline Winkley’s daughter Ava has had the Perth-ect Transplant Games 2023 on the other side of the world on the west coast of Australia.

She’s scooped five golds and two silvers and a world record in the Games.

It’s an amazing record after humble beginnings in 2014, when the games were in Bolton. That year she came away with two bronzes and first appeared in Trust News. (pictured below). 

Her Mum Caroline, said: “I am so incredibly proud of Ava. When I think back to what life was life when she was younger - she was diagnosed with a rare metabolic condition that no one really knew about. And to how life is now - it’s just amazing. Five gold medals and two silver medals. Organ donation is not an easy route and we live with that every day.

"Going to Australia has meant that we can make some amazing memories. We hope that talking about Ava’s story will get families taking about organ donation and having that conversation.”

Ava needed a liver transplant 10 years ago due to a chronic illness called ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, which meant her body built dangerous levels of ammonia, that needed constant monitoring. She wanted to make her donor family proud with her efforts in Oz this year.

She has golds in 50m fly, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, breast-stroke and adults freestyle relay - including a new world record and silvers for 50m Freestyle (just beaten by a 17-year-old Australian national swimmer) and in the BG team medley.