The 54-year-old lung patient, from Longford in Coventry, is a prisoner in his own home while he waits for a new lung, but he fears time is running out.

James knows he has about the same chance of winning the National Lottery as he does finding a matching donor lung on the organ transplant list.

Until then, he sits in his living room with tubes inserted into his nostrils which are attached to an oxygen tank to help him breathe more easily.

He will never leave the house without someone else's company and is petrified of scaring strangers because of the state he is in.
Even with the aid of oxygen, breathing is an everyday struggle as James inhales deeply at the end of each sentence and runs out of breath after just two steps.

It's a particular inconvenience for a self-confessed chatterbox who loves to talk but is interrupted to cough, or take a long intake of air.

He was diagnosed with the chronic lung condition emphysema in December
1999 after he woke up suddenly believing he was on the verge of death.

James said: "It was about two o'clock in the morning when I shot up out of bed because I really couldn't breathe.

"I tried to inhale but it was like the oxygen wasn't going in, so we called a doctor to come round and when he arrived he called an ambulance. It was two hours before I was taken to the University Hospital and they were the scariest hours of my life.

"I was convinced I was going to die. I was thinking 'this is it, there's nothing anyone can do'."

James, who was a social worker and ran a British American Football League website before his condition forced him to give up work, was given medication and stayed at the University Hospital for four days, where doctors thought he had pneumonia before his emphysema was confirmed.

He was prone to infections and he was in and out of hospital after repeatedly contracting viruses which worsened his condition.

He deteriorated rapidly and needed an operation to alleviate the symptoms as he was becoming increasingly short of breath.

James was transferred to the Glenfield Hospital in Leicester where he underwent his first operation in June 2000 on his right lung to stop the emphysema from spreading. He had the same procedure on his left lung in 2006 which didn't go as well as he had hoped.

He said: "There were never any guarantees that it would work and I'd been told that a transplant was an option, although I discounted that early on after being told my chances of finding a matching lung were about the same as winning the lottery. Now it's my last chance, I didn't have any other choice.

"I try not to think about how long I could end up waiting for a lung because there's always someone worse off."

Now James is permanently hooked up to an oxygen tank and spends 10 minutes on a medicinal inhaler four times a day.

In January James was placed on the transplant list and transferred to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Only a fortnight ago his transplant coordinator phoned to say a donor lung had been found and he was rushed to Newcastle, but the organ was deemed unsuitable following tests.

James said: "I was flying high with the thought that my life would change again but I came crashing down again with the disappointment. It took me a week to get my head straight."

He prayed it would go ahead to end the humiliation of being pushed around in a wheelchair by his wife Joy, a 55-year-old administrator, and seeing people's reactions.

James was also looking forward to leaving the house on his own and go to social gatherings without the fear of having to explain his situation.

If he ever does get a transplant his big ambition is to go to America and he promises he will compete in the British Transplant Games.

He said: "I was a donor card carrier way before I needed this, so I'm not just saying it because of the situation I'm in.

"But the way I see it is anyone's welcome to my organs when I'm dead because what use to me are they then? I suppose it was the aging hippy in me, but I think everyone should sign up."

A HUGE field of big-hearted transplant athletes took part in The Telegraph-sponsored Organ Donor Run at the weekend.

Close to 800 runners, including members of the public, pulled on their trainers for the 3km and 5km races, which formed part of this year's British Transplant Games.

Heavy and persistent rain made way for brighter skies as competitors from all over the UK limbered up trackside at the War Memorial Park on Saturday afternoon.

Among those rubbing shoulders were several people from Coventry and Warwickshire whose lives had been saved or transformed by a transplant.

Zainab Khan, lives in George Eliot Road, Foleshill.

She was given a kidney in 2007 following 12 years of dialysis.

The 44-year-old was warming up with a bronze medal round her neck from an earlier event.

She'd already competed in the 100, 200, and 300 metre races.

"These games mean so much. It's the first real opportunity I've had to come out and meet people since the operation.

"It's great to see so many of us fit and healthy after having had our lives changed. I was basically a prisoner in my own home for 12 years."

Kate Balfour, aged 56, from Coten End, Warwick, had a kidney transplant 11 years ago.

She said: "The event is fantastic, very well organised - and it's great to see so many donor families out running too. I was cycling this morning and swimming this afternoon, and now I'm ready to run 3km. I'll probably be on my knees by the end.

"In terms of quality of life since the operation, there's no comparison - I've been very lucky.

"I'm here to encourage those who haven't yet signed up."

Grace Newman, of Culworth Close, Leamington, had a kidney transplant 10 years ago.

The 52-year-old mum-of-two said: "I was on dialysis for three years, so I had to give up my job.

"Then it was like being given a second life. I used the chance to paint and study art at university - something I never would have done before the operation.

"I look at things so differently now. And now I'm just glad to be running among all these people - what a great occasion."

Nick West has been transplant co-ordinator at the University Hospital Walsgrave for 19 years.

The hospital has helped benefit close to 700 people since it started transplanting kidneys in 1987.

The 49-year-old said he'd taken part to get as many people as possible to join the national organ donor register.

"This isn't about raising money, it's about getting people signed up. Some running here today probably would have died six or seven years ago if they hadn't had a transplant. But we need to do more. There are currently 160 people in Coventry and Warwickshire who are waiting for a kidney transplant.

"We estimate we'll be able to give about 48 of them a transplant this year - but that's not even a third of the list."

Mr West was joined by colleague Pat Hart, who's been working at the hospital for 20 years. The 58-year-old said: "Just as important as signing up is letting next of kin know your wishes.

"Currently there's a 44 per cent refusal rate from the families of people who were on the register."

THIS weekend's Transplant Games brought tears of joy and record-breaking successes.

Coventry played a proud host to the games, welcoming hundreds of inspiring transplant athletes for three days of sport.

Lynne Holt got involved in the games almost 30 years ago when she was in charge of intensive care at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, where some of the country's first heart transplants were carried out.

"With advances in technology things are getting better all the time. You can see this weekend we have people who had kidney transplants 30 years ago, heart transplants 20 years ago and we've had to introduce a new age category for those aged 70 and over."

In its 32nd year, the Transplant Games signed up more competitors than ever before - a whopping 630 athletes.

James Colbeck, a kidney transplant athlete in his 20s, ran the 100-metres in 11.7 seconds, and Kaz Greenwood, a heart transplant athlete in his 30s, threw the discuss to 28.7 metres, smashing the Transplant Games record.

Lynne said: "There are more people in Coventry and Warwickshire talking about transplants now and more people signing up to the organ donor register, and that's the real measure of success."

Right now, there are 10,000 people in this country waiting for an organ transplant.

Lynne said she hoped people who hadn't considered it before would take a moment to sign up to the national organ donor register.

Proud families looked on as the children - who have all undergone transplant operations - lined up on the starting line before launching across the sports hall at Coventry Sport Centre in Fairfax Street.

Jack received a kidney from an anonymous donor when he was just two after being diagnosed with the disorder Deny's-Drash, which causes a scarring of the kidney tissue.

Kelly, aged 29, of Manchester, said: "I couldn't stop crying when I saw him. Jack would never have been able to do anything like this when he was on dialysis."

This year's four-day event is being attended by some 400 children, many of whom have received transplant but others who are close relatives of recipients.

It is a special event too for Kaylee Davidson, now aged 22, who at five months old was the first baby in the UK to receive a heart transplant.

She is a volunteer during the Games, while mum Carol Olley is the Games children's representative.

Carol said: "It makes me so proud to see the numbers of children grow each year. Every one has a story of devastating illness and family crisis, and show how the generosity of someone else has given them their health."

Coventry welcomed the British Transplant Games with open arms yesterday at the grand opening ceremony.

Crowds cheered as 1,500 transplant athletes, their friends and family and donor families, made their way through the city.

As many as 55 teams from across the country waved their flags and banners with pride as they walked towards University Square to mark the beginning of the sporting occasion.

For Phoenix Halliwell it was a very special moment. Not only had he won a silver medal in archery during the games yesterday, it had also been a year since his wife Sam donated a kidney to him.

The 34-year-old from Baginton had suffered a severe kidney disorder for seven years and it meant he had to undergo dialysis three times a week.

He said: "This has meant everything to me. Our lives are just getting started. We went on holiday for the first time in Easter and we didn't have to think about finding a hospital to get treatment. It was brilliant.

"There is so much I want to do. I'm really looking forward to getting into work. I want to train as a driving instructor and learn how to fly.

"It's taken me a while to find my feet because I've been so used to not being able to do things but now I feel free."

Phoenix and Sam tied the knot three months before the transplant.

Sam, aged 22, said: "When I found out we had the same tissue type I just said yes without giving it a second thought. If I could help I was going to.

"He's come leaps and bounds. It was hard seeing him so ill. I'm just happy that I was able to help him."

The Lord Mayor of Coventry, Coun Jack Harrison, greeted the teams before giving his opening speech.

He said: "I want to warmly welcome you on behalf of the citizens of this city. I know these games will be a tremendous success.

"We encourage people to become organ donators and we are well on our way of our target of 20,000 people during our civic year in office. One of the major partners in publicising this event is the Coventry Telegraph. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with them and I want to personally thank them for promoting the games."

Sheffield athlete George Hopkinson passed the torch to Coventry athlete Eric McCalla for the handover.

Peter Ford, chairman of Transplant Sport UK, then declared the games open.

After the ceremony Peter said: "Coventry is a wonderful city. I had a kidney transplant 33 years ago. Without donors I wouldn't be here today. They're so important. Without that gift I couldn't have done anything like I can now.

"I couldn't have done any sports, I couldn't have studied to get my degree. Every one of these people have a story to tell about what it means to them just like I have.

"We must celebrate the benefits of organ transplants and promote awareness of the need to get more donors. It saved my life."

Tomorrow hundreds of people will join transplant athletes at the War Memorial Park for the Coventry Telegraph Donor Run to raise awareness of the Donor Register, including a team from Warwick University and the Coventry Telegraph.

Online entries for the run have closed but anyone still wanting to join in either the 3km or 5km run can still enjoy the fun.

Those who haven't already enrolled to take part in the event to raise awareness of the NHS Organ Donor Register can sign up on the day.

Registration takes place at the park from 6pm.

Now the 52-year-old is celebrating the occasion by taking part in the British Transplant Games.

At the age of 38 and with two young boys to raise, doctors gave Grace the earth-shattering news she had contracted lupus, an inflammatory disease which affected her blood vessels and ravaged her kidneys.

Grace, of Leamington, required a gruelling course of dialysis at the old Walsgrave Hospital three times a week, a regular routine which turned her life upside down.

Her husband Alan, 56, took on the role of househusband and sole breadwinner. Their sons Adam and Carl, who are now in their late 20s, were barely 10 years old at the time.

It was an agonising 3½-year wait for an organ transplant before Grace got the call which changed her life in 1999.

She said: "I think they told me we've got a kidney for you and to have my next session of dialysis and checks, but there were still no guarantees.

Luckily everything was fine."

Before she was diagnosed with lupus, Grace was in and out of the doctor's surgery with various symptoms, including pain and swelling in the legs.

"It came as such a shock when the results of a biopsy said I had lupus," she said, "I was very ill .and had no choice but to get through it.

"It was so difficult, having to go to hospital for dialysis all the time, but I tried not to think about the fact a kidney might never come.

"You just live in hope that you are going to get that call and keep as level-headed as you can."

Grace will be representing Coventry in a table tennis tournament, 100m, 200m, relay and long jump at the British Transplant Games.

Once the games are over she will fly out to Australia for this year's World Transplant Games.

Grace said: "The tenth anniversary is a time of mixed emotions for me.

"On the one hand I'm glad that the kidney's doing so well but it's also tinged with sadness as I think of the family who will grieve the loss of a loved one 10 years since their death.

"I'm so pleased the games will be coming to Coventry.

"The Games help keep me motivated to stay fit and are hope for all those people still waiting for donor organs."

Despite the trauma of regular hospital visits and waiting for a kidney to become available, Grace made space in her busy schedule for a creative pastime.

She enrolled on an art course at Warwickshire College and graduated with a degree from the Birmingham City University, which she was able to complete between dialysis sessions, and is now a self-employed art teacher.

"I now look at life differently and try to get more out of each day," she said.

More than 1,500 transplant athletes, their friends and families and donor families will make the city their home during the national event, which ends on Sunday.

Some 55 teams from across the country will parade through the city centre later today to mark the start of the landmark four-day sporting occasion amid a dramatic spectacle.

And as the procession gets under way actors from the city-based theatrical group Team Knickers & Vests will perform their quirky take on 1970s school P.E.

The Games are an annual celebration of life showcasing the distance each transplantee has come from life-threatening conditions to their transplant and being given a second chance at life.

The Lord Mayor said: "It is great to be involved in the official opening ceremony for the Westfield Health British Transplant Games here in my home city.

"It makes me incredibly proud to welcome all the athletes and their families and supporters to the city for what will be an enjoyable four days.

"Coventry has a tremendous sporting tradition and we have built a splendid reputation for hosting large-scale events. I look forward to being involved in the event and seeing first-hand some of the sporting events that will be taking place. Good luck to all involved."

An impressive programme has been organised covering venues across Coventry and Warwickshire, ranging from track and field events to fishing, archery and golf.

And on Saturday hundreds of members of the public will join transplant athletes at the War Memorial Park for the Coventry Telegraph Donor Run to raise awareness of the Donor Register, including a team from Warwick University and the Coventry Telegraph.

It's not too late to join in the fun and you can register to take part in either the 3km or 5km route online at www.coventrytelegraph.net/donor