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Liver recipient swimming at transplant games hopes to inspire donors In 2005, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). It is an incurable, progressive disease that results in liver failure. At the time my doctors told me that I had roughly seven years before my liver would fail. I used that as motivation to live my life to the fullest and reach for my dreams. I got heavily involved in competition level muay thai (kickboxing), moved to Bermuda for a year and a half then Grand Cayman for three years where I ran a very successful muay thai program. I got married and had a daughter. My family and I moved back to Toronto in late 2013. My liver started to fail in May 2015. I was quickly hospitalized and remained in the University Health Network in Toronto as my condition got worse. It was a rough time. Eventually, on June 20, 2015, I received a new liver from By Michael (Grey) Brett uReport 9 | Stouffville Sun-Tribune | Thursday, August 11, 2016 a deceased donor and I was given a second chance at life. Life after the transplant has not been as smooth as hoped. My muscles had atrophied in the hospital and I had to regain the strength to walk again. But I did a little more work to regain my strength every day pushing myself to be better than I was before my surgery. I have been hospitalized three times since for organ rejection and infection, each time making me take a step backward in my recovery. That said, I have been working very had and am now able to practice muay thai again. And I have re-found my love of swimming through my preparation for the 2016 Canadian Transplant Games. I will be competing in five swimming events on Friday, Aug. 12, and I am looking for gold. I've been training at the Whitchurch-Stoufville Leisure Centre pool and the Pan Am pool in Scarborough. The swimming event will take place at the University of Toronto pool downtown. My aim is to qualify for the World Transplant Games, which take place in Malaga, Spain in June 2017. I have started a website, which will be launched on Aug. 15, called Goal Embassy. Goal stands for Gift Of A Lifetime. You can check it out at www.goalembassy.com. The goal is to showcase what I am up to, the activities a post transplant patient can participate in and to provide an avenue for a project that I am taking on myself, which is to have 1,000 people register to become organ donors and save lives. I want to show that life after a transplant can be a full one and does not have to be limited in Michael (Grey) Brett: Stouffville any way. Michael (Grey) Brett grew up as a competitive native is swimming at the Canadian Transplant Games on Friday. swimmer in Stouffville. Stouffville Churches Welcome You 905-591-3200 6273 Main St., Stouffville Anglican Church of Canada 254 Sunset Blvd., 905-640-1461 www.stouffvilleanglican.ca Sunday, August 14th 8:00 am & 10:00 am Eucharist Nursery & Church School at 10:00 am Christ Church To ST. JAmeS Stouffville PreSbyTeriAn 6432 main St., Stouffville 905-640-3151 Rev. Joan Masterton, Minister Welcome church STouFFville PenTecoSTAl church Sunday Service @ 10am (Sunday School for Kids) Lead Pastor : Jeff Laird Children's Pastor : Lori Attack Youth Pastor : Steffan Watson Student programs to resume in September Stouffville Christian Fellowship A Church in a Beautiful Countryside Pastor Walter Robbins Sunday Service Lunch to follow Stouffville York Durham line 30 major mackenzie markHam Brock rd. Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays Morning Prayer 9:15 am Backpack Drive until August 28 Saturday, September 10th 18th Annual Golf Tournament at Spring Creek Golf Club All Welcome Come & See 345 Glad Park Ave. Stouffville 905-640-6954 Sunday, August 14 Service of Worship Guest pastor ­ Yvonne Hurst. 10:00 a.m. Sunday, August 21 Leaders ­ Jim & Jean Thomas Soloist ­ Sydnee Guglietti 10:00 a.m. Sunday, August 28 Guest pastor ­ Ruth Burkholder 10:00 a.m. Refreshments and fellowship following each worship 10:30am Sideline 28 Claremont Bridge Out 8th Conc. 7th Conc. Hwy. 7 Hwy. 407 BrougHam PiCkering 6853 Main St. Stouffville 905-640-5696 www.spcfamily.ca * everYone WelcoMe * 860 Conc. 8, Claremont 905-649-2812 Rev. Elizabeth Rev. Elizabeth Cunningham Cunningham "A friendly family church" Weekend Masses (Summer Schedule) Saturday 5:00 pm Sunday 9:00 am, 11:00 am www.stmarkstouffville.ca BLOOMINGTON GOSPEL CHURCH 13660 Ninth Line N. (905) 642-4414 Rev. Peter Pallant 34 Church St. N. · 905-640-1163 office@stouffvilleuc.ca Sunday, August 14 10:30 a.m. Worship Service Guest Speaker: Catherine Hions Rev. Elizabeth Cunningham is on vacation Everyone Welcome! www.stouffvilleuc.ca Sunday, August 14, 2016 10:00 a.m. Worship Service Everyone Welcome! To Advertise Please call 905-640-2612