Heart recipient honours organ donors with Transplant Games overture

A musician who had a heart transplant has composed an anthem which was played at the opening ceremony of the British Transplant Games.

Dave Webb, 53, created the British Transplant Games Fanfare and Overture as his “gift to the Games”. He competed in the Games for the first time in 2024, following his heart transplant at Harefield Hospital. He had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a hereditary condition that thickens the heart muscle over time, making it harder for the heart to pump blood.

The 3.5-minute-long anthem opens and closes with a rousing fanfare which marks the celebration of sport through the gift of life. The quieter middle section is more reflective and pays tribute to those who donated their organs and made the Games possible.

Dave, from Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, said: “Music has always been a big part of my life. After my transplant and experiencing the privilege of taking part in the British Transplant Games for the first time in 2024, I wanted to contribute somehow.

“I was inspired by John Williams' iconic Olympic Fanfare and Theme for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, so decided to compose a dedicated piece for the British Transplant Games. And I am beyond thrilled the organisers liked it and played it at the Games in Sheffield.”

Dave studied music and has worked across many areas of the music profession. In addition to playing instruments including the viola and piano and gigging in bands, Dave is a commissioned composer and former composer-in-residence at a school.

Dave added: “The piece is dedicated to organ donors and their families, who make all this possible. I hope everyone who listens to it feels the notes of determination and possibility. Because this is what the Games represent. Organ donation is more than just a gift of life for the competitors and their families; they are lives that are being lived with gratitude and lived to the full.”

This year, Dave competed in archery, badminton doubles and long jump. The British Transplant Games, which are an annual Olympic-style event, were held this year in Sheffield on 6–9 August and are organised by Transplant Sport. The Games celebrate transplantation, donors and life, and each year more than 2,000 competitors take part.

Dave said: “The Games give lots of support and encouragement to anyone wishing to take part. It’s very inclusive – everyone wants you to be the best you can be. As soon as you get there, you belong to this amazing transplant community.”

Dave is a passionate advocate for organ donation as his older brother Stuart was also born with the same hereditary condition. Although symptoms didn’t develop until they were in their 20s, the condition became life-threatening for them both. Stuart underwent heart transplantation in 2016, three years before Dave. The brothers were both 46 when they received heart transplants, with Stuart under the care of Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and Dave a patient at Harefield Hospital.

When he’s not playing or writing music, Dave raises awareness about organ donation by sharing his story, and encourages everyone to have conversations with family and friends about their organ donation wishes.

He said: “I’m now 7 years post-transplant and feeling great, and it’s 10 years since my brother’s transplant. Organ donation and transplantation have profoundly shaped my family's life.

“But, with transplant waiting lists growing, I am compelled to do what I do to raise more awareness and get people thinking. If just one person hears me speak and has a conversation at home, it could make the difference. I am forever grateful to both my donor and my brother’s donor and their families for everything they have done.”

Andrew Morley-Smith, transplant cardiologist at Harefield Hospital, said: “We’re all so proud of Dave and his tireless efforts to improve awareness of organ transplants. To compose this anthem for the Transplant Games is a fantastic contribution to such an important event.”