A MULTI-SPORT competition among organ transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients will be hosted in Oxford for the first time this month.

The European Transplant and Dialysis Games will take place over a week and host competitions among recipients and patients from over 25 countries across Europe.

The event is similar to the Paralympics Games or Invictus Games and organisers anticipate more than 400 competitors attending this year.

It will be the first time the UK hosts the event since its inception, and it represents an opportunity to promote the benefits of organ donation and life-saving impact of organ transplantation.

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The games will start with on Sunday August 21 with a parade through the city before the opening ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre.

Organisers have planned a celebration of transplantation “with an Oxford twist”, featuring a new song, commissioned dance routine, touch of Shakespeare and music to accompany the opening.

Most of the competitions will take place at Radley College, with other events taking place at the Blenheim Palace, near Woodstock, including a cycling challenge and a 5K “mini marathon”.

Charity Transplant Sport, which organised the event, was founded in 1978 by Maurice Slapak CBE, a consultant surgeon, who brought together his patients and other transplant recipients to hold the first Transplant Games in Portsmouth.

The charity encourages all transplant recipients to get active and be healthy while promoting organ donation through different events.

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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers. 

Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @AnnaColivicchi