Origins
Mandy Ambert – Liver transplant recipient, April 2023 – Mulligans GS event organiser.
I met many organ recipients when I attended the British Transplant Games in Coventry in 2023 as a spectator, just a few months after my transplant. I learnt that the golfers rarely met outside the games.
Having chatted to a few of them from the Midlands, eight of us met in January 2024 at Nailcote Hall (top picture) to set up The Mulligans. The mandate was to offer a place for us to meet as a golfing community and to raise money for transplant orientated charities.
The Mulligans are solid organ and stem cell transplantees, live donors and family members who have lost loved ones and gone ahead to donate their organs We held our inaugural golf day in April 2024 at Great Barr Golf Club, raising money for the University Hospital of Birmingham’s new transplant unit and for the Donor Family Network. We repeated our event at the iconic Belfry Hotel and Golf in October, this time raising money for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis.
But our main remit is to raise awareness of the importance of having the conversation with your families, reinforcing your intention of donating your organs after death. We are now 39 members from all over the UK, and we plan to run bi-annual events throughout Britain. Please learn of our journeys below and how humbling our situations are. Mostly, someone has to die for us to live. That is a real eye-opener for us all and for you to comprehend
Alison Gray – Heart Transplant
“I joined The Mulligans after receiving a heart transplant. I love that it’s a mixed group and is inclusive of female golfers. I’ve met lifelong new friends within the transplant community, we can share our transplant journey experiences and encourage each other to stay active and positive whilst enjoying a round of golf, with a focus on raising funds for charities along the way. It’s an encouraging, inspiring amazing group.”
Jaffar Shamsuddin – Kidney Transplantee
“I joined The Mulligans after my kidney transplant to connect with fellow organ transplant recipients who understand my journey. Sharing stories and experiences with like-minded golfers has been healing, offering support and camaraderie. The community makes me feel empowered and reminds me that I’m not alone in this journey.”
Andy Bright – Double Lung Transplant
“Being part of The Mulligans connects me with my transplant “family” through golf, raising awareness for organ donation and supporting charities.It’s a wonderful way to honour my donor, while the new friendships I have made have profoundly enriched the extra years gifted by my double lung transplant.”
The Mulligans Golf Society 