HEART transplant patient Gavin Greig, - who is just 11 - is taking part in the British Transplant Games this month.
Gavin, of Arthur Street, Golcar, has been invited to take part in four events.
He will compete in badminton, table tennis, the long jump and the 200 metres.
Gavin had his heart transplant when he was nine.
He contracted the virus cardiomyopathy, which attacked his heart, nearly killing him.
Just four months after surgery at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle he was back at Golcar Junior, Infant and Nursery School.
Gavin is now a pupil at Colne Valley High School, Linthwaite.
He still has to have regular check-ups in hospital in Leeds and Newcastle.
But he is able to play football at school and cricket for Golcar.
Gavin won four medals in last year's Transplant Games in Staffordshire.
This year's event will be in Norwich between July 29 and August 1. More than 450 adults and children will be competing and hoping to win places to represent Great Britain in the 2005 World Transport Games in Canada.
None of the 144 children taking part in the games would be alive today if they hadn't received new organs in transplant operations.
The youngest contestant is only five - and many are too young to remember life before their transplant.
The games aim to encourage organ donations and transplants by raising public awareness.
