A TEENAGE swimmer aims to make a splash after being picked for international honours.

Kieran Heycock will travel from Port Talbot to Sweden with his family this summer to represent the UK at a major gathering.

It's quite an achievement for any 14-year-old. But for Kieran it's even more special, as for much of his young life he had a chronic kidney condition that would have progressively worsened.

That was before doting mum Sarah stepped in and donated one of her kidneys so sports-mad Kieran could live life to the full.

And after bagging himself a load of medals at the British Transplant Games, Kieran has secured a place with the UK swimming team that will compete in the international games in June.

Sarah explained: "About a week after he had his transplant (in 2006) he saw the notice for the transplant games and he said: 'I'm going to do that next year.' And he did.

"That was in 2007 in Edinburgh and we have been everywhere since.

"Every year he has competed he has won medals. He was representing Team Cardiff but as they were the only team from Wales, really he was representing his country.

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"Last year he said he wanted to do the world games. It so happened the 2010 British transplant games was the qualifier for that and Kieran did really well. He won three bronze and a silver medal.

"He was selected on the strength of that and he is really over the moon about it."

As his family is his support, they will be travelling to Gothenburg with him and will need to raise up to £6,000 in sponsorship.

The youngster, who has been on medication all his life, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease when Sarah was 19 weeks pregnant.

One of the most common inherited kidney diseases, it is associated with a fall in kidney function which, over the years, can result in failure. The only alternative to a transplant is haemodialysis, a process whereby a machine cleanses the blood of waste and water.

But Kieran, who loved rugby, football and swimming, would have been tied to the machine for hours at a time, curtailing his passion for sport immensely.

Now, thanks to Sarah, he no longer has to worry about that. She donated one of her kidneys and Kieran had his transplant operation just before his 10th birthday in 2006.

He lives in Bryn with Sarah, dad Dean and younger brothers Ian, aged 11, and 9-year-old Ben. He attends Dyffryn Comprehensive School and trains with Aberavon Swimming Club.

"Kieran was rugby mad but he can't play because of where the kidney is, so swimming is his thing now," said Sarah.

"He trains as often as he can but from now on he will be training every day. He goes to Neath a couple of times a week and Pontardawe once a week, and he will be going to the baths in Maesteg as well. He's here, there and everywhere."

Health-wise, Sarah said, her son was doing well. "During the first couple of years after the transplant he had a few hiccups," said Sarah.

"It wasn't to do with his kidneys. He had pneumonia a couple of times and a couple of infections. But that was more to do with the side-effects of his medication.

"He has no immune system and so he's more likely to pick things up. But touch wood he has had a good year, and he is training hard now."

Anyone who wants to sponsor Kieran can email d.heycock@ btinternet.com

paul.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk