When Lungelo Maki lines up for the running leg of the team triathlon event at the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany, in August he will be celebrating exactly a decade of triumph.
As luck would have it, the East London-based Virgin Active employee received his life-saving kidney transplant on August 21 — 10 years to the day of his Transplant Games debut.
Now 43, the Kariega-born athlete spent most of his childhood in Aliwal North (renamed Maletswai) and matriculated there. His parents were both teachers] before going on to study for a diploma in sports management at what’s now known was Vaal University of Technology.
In 2005 he started working at Virgin Active, first in Benoni and later in Pretoria.
“My problems started in 2009, the year I got married,” said Maki. The marriage would turn out to be a positive event in a very up and down year.
“I lost my mom early in the year but then my first daughter was born. Towards the end of the year my health problems started.
“I was still working as a fitness manager but suddenly noticed I had dark urine, flu-like symptoms and high blood pressure — the doctor was amazed I was even able to walk into his rooms.”
Tests showed that he had stage three or four kidney failure. He spent weeks in hospital being tested and medicated.
Oh, the joy in my heart and mind when I heard that news.
He married his wife, Athi, in November that year but the next year his condition worsened and he had to start regular dialysis sessions. “I’d arrange my shifts around the three dialysis sessions a week.”
Life continued with Maki still able to take part in football and gym training, despite his regular dialysis sessions. “I told myself that I refused to let the condition get me down.”
On August 21 2015 his life took a big upturn. “It was around 8pm and I was closing up the club in Groenkloof, Pretoria, when I got a call saying I must hurry to Jacaranda Hospital because my replacement kidney is on the way.
“Oh, the joy in my heart and mind when I heard that news.”
The kidney transplant was a success, though doctors never established exactly why his kidneys failed, and he spent two weeks in hospital recovering.
“I can still remember the first time nurses removed the catheter and I was able to pass urine for the first time in five years. The nurses could barely contain themselves; they were laughing so much with joy!”
Maki’s wife and children were working in Australia at that stage and she returned for a few weeks during his recovery. The family then decided to live under one roof again and in 2016 started a new life in East London to be close to their three children’s grandparents.
“I’m now at Virgin Active Beacon Bay and just enjoying working, life and celebrating each day.”
He had heard about the Transplant Games
while living in Pretoria. Last week he registered with the Eastern Cape region.
“There were national trials in Cape Town in September and I qualified in the 800m and 1,500m track events, and the 5km road race. I ran 20 min 22 sec for the 5km which was a national transplant record in the over-40 age group, so I was very chuffed.”
In Dresden he will do the 800m on the track. He is also part of the triathlon relay team in which he will do the 5km running leg.
“These are my first Games and I’m looking forward to it … this week I got my Schengen visa, which was exciting. I’m a first-timer so don’t want to put pressure on myself but hopefully this will be one of many Games for me.
“I’m just blessed to have the privilege of celebrating the exact 10th anniversary of my transplant by competing at the Games.”
Also at the Games, and competing herself, will be Rentia le Roux, vice-president of the SA Transplant Sports Association.
“We’re taking a team of 63 athletes and five donors [who compete in their own category]. It is our biggest team to date — apart from the team that was chosen for the World Transplant Games that we hosted on home soil in Durban in 2013,” said Le Roux, who is also team captain at these Games.
“These are the 25th Games being held worldwide and as always we look to be true ambassadors. Our team motto for these Games will be ‘Team’ [together everybody achieves more].”
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