Stuart Campbell makes his return to competitive sport this week at the Australian Transplant Games in Geelong after requiring a bone marrow transplant in December 2003.By Marc McGowan
DANDENONG North resident Stuart Campbell will celebrate his recovery from leukaemia this week when he competes in the 10th Australian Transplant Games in Geelong.
Campbell, 29, required a bone marrow transplant in December 2003, and this was the beginning of a harrowing few years of recovery.
He was diagnosed with leukaemia six months prior to the transplant, and the recovery has been difficult.
“It took me six months to get back to a normal life,” he said. “I could barely walk and my muscles had wasted away.”
Campbell has been back at work for 12 months, but the disease has resulted in a change in jobs from driving a livestock truck to working for his brother as a courier.
“Livestock carry diseases and germs,” Campbell said.
“My immune system had to start from scratch and I had to get all my shots again. It was basically put to me ‘would you put your nephew around the livestock?’
“I’m a lot more conscious about keeping warm in winter and I take more precautions. With leukaemia, there is always a danger of a relapse.”
Campbell started off working one day a week and gradually increased his hours back to full-time.
The Australian Transplant Games is a biennial event and is open to those who have had a transplant or have made a donation. Family members are also able to compete in their own field.
“It’s the first time I’ve been fit enough (to compete) since the transplant two years ago,” Campbell said.
“It’s amazing. It gives me a chance to compete against people who’ve gone through a similar thing and it gives you something to aim for.”
Campbell was formerly an A grade cyclist for Carnegie Caulfield, and will be competing in cycling, swimming and running at the Transplant Games.
Nine family members will join him in the competition and there will be others there to watch, including his fiancee Tracy, who he has been with for 13 years, since meeting at Wellington High School.
“I can’t imagine (what it is going to be like); it’s going to be awesome,” Campbell said.
“I’ve waited a long time to be at an event that means so much to me. I really enjoy competing.”
Campbell has had a lot of support but he is especially grateful for the financial aid he received from video store Top Videos in Dandenong, where he still works.
“While I couldn’t work a lot, it helped us a bit financially,” he said.
The event is organised by volunteer organisation Transplant Australia, which has helped Campbell through a lot of the dark times.
“They helped us out emotionally and financially,” Campbell said. “Events such as this help increase awareness for the need of donors.”
The events include track and field, cycling, rowing, swimming, archery, lawn bowls, golf and tenpin bowling.
There are also less physical games such as chess and backgammon.
