A LITTLE girl who had a heart transplant when she was six months-old took a silver medal on the running track.

Four-year-old Temperance Reid from Longwick ran for the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) at the 2013 British Transplant Games in Sheffield this month.

She joined team GOSH to represent the hospital and compete against athletes from other UK hospitals in ball throw, under-fives obstacle course and the 25m sprint- where she took silver.

Janet Holmes, surgical play team leader at GOSH, said: "We’re incredibly proud of Temperance. The British Transplant Games are a wonderful celebration of the gift of organ donation, and show just how much our patients can go on to achieve. Each and every one of our GOSH competitors is a champion by virtue of standing on the starting line."

Temperance – nicknamed ‘Bob’ - was born a healthy baby but at the age of five months contracted Kawasaki disease – which then led to a heart attack.

She was rushed to A&E and had to be resuscitated. She was later transferred to a Berlin Heart (artificial heart) to stay alive, while she waited for a new heart.

Temperance underwent a successful heart transplant in 2009 and as a result has had the opportunity to go on to succeed in sport.

The British Transplant Games aims to encourage transplant patients to regain fitness and confidence by celebrating life.

It also promotes friendship and co-operation between individuals concerned with transplantation, whilst increasing public awareness of the value of organ donation and honouring the transplant recipients, donors and donor families.

Great Ormond Street Hospital has the largest centre for children with heart problems in the UK and one of the largest centres for children’s heart transplants in the world.

Its children’s charity raises vital funds to help rebuild and refurbish the hospital, buy vital equipment, fund pioneering research and provide support services for families, including supporting patients to take part in the British Transplant Games through the Hearts and Lungs for Kids fund.

To make a donation, visit: www.gosh.org