KIDNEY transplant patient Charlie Dyson has just added to his clutch of medals by becoming king of the fairway in the British Transplant Games.

But the accomplished golfer, who has been under the care of the dedicated renal team at St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford, says he has something even more precious – the gift of good health.

Mr Dyson, 28, from East Morton, near Bingley, is a strong advocate for organ transplantation.

His message is that being a transplant patient does not hold you back from accomplishing anything you want to.

Mr Dyson’s success is largely down to his father, Chris, 56, who became his donor.

Charlie Dyson said: “I had kidney problems from birth, and in fact, this was my second transplant. The first was carried out in 1994 and lasted until April 2012, when I began to be ill again. Fortunately I didn’t have to wait long because my dad was found to be the ‘near perfect’ match and my second transplant was carried out in October that year. Dad and I were on our way back from a golfing trip in Portugal at the time when I got the news that we were a match. It was fantastic.”

Mum Denise was understandably a little nervous on the day of the transplant. “She had to cope with both me and dad in surgery within hours of each other and was relieved when it was all over,” he added.

He is now an ambassador for the benefits of transplants.

“I would say to people please sign up to the NHS donor register. The gift of an organ is the best present you can give,” he said.

His success at the scratch golf event, held in Liverpool, means he will be heading off to the World Transplant Games in Malaga, Spain, next year.

It will be his third participation at world level at the Games having also competed in the World Winter Games.

St Luke’s Consultant in nephrology, John Stoves, said: “Both Charlie and his dad have been great ambassadors for kidney transplantation.

“In West Yorkshire more than 200 people are currently on the transplant waiting list. Many wait more than two years before receiving a transplant and some die before the opportunity arises.”

To find out more about organ donation go to organdonation.nhs.uk