Aussie reveals why she is ‘going for gold’ at World Transplant Games

An Aussie three-time kidney recipient has revealed the heartwarming reason she’s “going for gold” at the World Transplant Games. See why.

Marina Thomas has had three kidney transplants. She is pictured here with dad Ivan Cesljar, mum Jasenka Cesljar, husband Daniel Thomas, Marcel Venema who donated a kidney to Marina, and Josie Venema with Lucky the dog. Picture: David Crosling

It has taken a village to save Marina Thomas. She suffered renal failure and had her first lifesaving kidney transplant as a two-year-old, but it lasted just a week and she ended up in intensive care in the fight of her life.

Doctors doubted Mrs Thomas, now 43, would be able to tolerate traditional dialysis, the mechanical removal of impurities from her blood when the kidneys do not work, but they hadn’t counted on the fierce determination of her parents Ivan and Jasenka Cesljar and the courage of their eldest child.

Immigrants from Croatia who spoke little English back then, Mr and Mrs Cesljar had to navigate and champion complex medical care for their critically ill child.

“Mum knows all the medical terms now,” Mrs Thomas says with pride.

Marina Thomas has had three kidney transplants. This is a clipping from the Herald Sun when she had a kidney transplant as a kid.

Her story was first featured in The Sun (now part of the Herald Sun) in 1984 where Mr and Mrs Cesljar spoke of their pride in their daughter and praise for the Royal Children’s Hospital team who placed her on a relatively new type of peritoneal dialysis.

It required Mrs Cesljar to run special fluid through a catheter into her daughter’s stomach four times a day, but it allowed her to start school, ride a bike and even sing and dance.

“I can remember my mum coming to the school every day to do my dialysis,” Mrs Thomas said. “Mum said it was touch and go after my first kidney transplant failed and I was the youngest Victorian to start dialysis, but she was always determined to get me through.”

In 1986 Mrs Thomas was one of the few children to receive a second kidney transplant at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. This time, the transplant was successful.

“My new kidney was donated by a deceased 19-year-old who saved my life when I was eight years old,” she said.

“But 22 years later, just before I was to marry my husband Daniel, my body just decided to reject the kidney that had kept me alive for so long.”

Marina Thomas is heading to the World Transplant Games in Perth, where she hopes to win gold in tennis. Picture: David Crosling

The corporate client manager went back on to dialysis for five years and on to a transplant waiting list until a friend through church, Marcel Venama, offered to be a living donor.

While Mr Venama was not a match for Mrs Thomas, he agreed to join a program that matched donors and recipients which meant in 2013 he helped his friend receive her third lifesaving kidney.

Mrs Thomas says she is blessed to have been supported by family and friends throughout the journey and is now hoping to reward them with gold at the World Transplant Games.

“I won gold at the Australian Transplant Games in 2018, winning the tennis singles,” Mrs Thomas said.

“That’s my aim again. The World Games will be tougher, but I am going for gold.”

Transplant recipients from across Australia will participate in the World Transplant Games, which is supported by DonateLife, in Perth from April 15-21. Register as an organ and tissue donor via donatelife.gov.au