A World Beater

09 September 2009Ten-year-old Jayten Tairua has beaten liver and meningococcal diseases and now he's bagged a gold and two silver medals at the 17th World Transplant Games.

It was the first games in which Kiwi kids took part.

Held on Australia's Gold Coast, the games were the biggest yet with more than 2000 athletes from 50 countries.

Jayten won gold for table tennis, his favourite sport, and a silver medal each for tenpin bowling and freestyle ball throw.

The Tangowahine Primary School pupil and his four team mates have all received lifesaving organ transplants.

At two years old Jayten had a liver transplant and his mother Priscilla Neho says she hates to think what would have happened if he had waited another year for surgery.

"I think he would have died."

Jayten was born with biliary atresia, a liver disease.

"He had a string of ongoing conditions and when he was just eight weeks old he came down with meningococcal disease, which he managed to fight off."

Almost immediately after the transplant Jayten appeared healthier and happier, Ms Neho says.

"Within a few months he was a normal child."

She says those who have the transplant are known to live happy, fulfilling lives.

And Jayten is embracing life and living it to the fullest.

He says his many goals include attending the 2011 Gottenburg World Transplant games in Sweden and pretty much every one after that.

Although winning the medals was exciting, there were many other highlights.

Jayten says swapping souvenirs with people from all over the world was fun while Movie World and Sea World were "pretty cool".

Jayten is also something of a TV star after the crew from news magazine show 20/20 followed him around in Australia.

He says that was "weird" but cool too because his friends have asked for his autograph.

Jayten is very grateful to his parents Priscilla and Chris for their support, and to Dargaville High School for allowing him to use the table tennis equipment after hours.

By Rose Stirling - Dargaville News