Sponsorship boost for Horncastle sporting student

Declan Bennett, a student at Horncastle’s Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, is preparing to represent Great Britain at the event in July.

The 16-year-old was presented with a cheque for £1,500 from The Elite Fish and Chip Company, as part of their continuing sponsorship.

“We’re proud to sponsor Declan and we hope that his success will inspire people to register for organ donation,” said Elite’s Rachel Tweedale.

At the age of seven, it was discovered Declan had chronic renal failure – a condition which meant he needed a kidney transplant.

Declan received a living donor kidney transplant from his father, Guy, in 2009.

The donated kidney enabled Declan to work towards a healthy lifestyle and return to the many sporting activities he enjoyed prior to surgery.

Declan won a sensational seven gold medals at the 20th World Transplant Games in Argentina in last August, was named the Outstanding Junior Male of the tournament and also claimed five tournament records.

“Transplantation is a treatment and not a cure,” said Declan’s father Guy. “At some point in the future, Declan will need another transplant or maybe several more - this may come from a relative, an altruistic donor or from a donor who has died.”