At 84 years old, Perth liver transplant recipient Esther Scott is showing that age is no barrier to living life to the fullest, as she takes on the 2026 Australian Transplant Games in Launceston, Tasmania, as the oldest competitor at this year’s Games.
Esther is competing in lawn bowls, pétanque and ten-pin bowling, and took part in the DonateLife 5km Fun Run during the opening weekend of the Games.
Her Games schedule is a reflection of the active life she has continued to lead since receiving a life-saving liver transplant in 2010.
Esther was 68 when she received her transplant after spending 10 months on the waiting list with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a chronic liver condition.
“Those 10 months waiting for a transplant felt like a very long time. You don’t know when the call is going to come, and you just have to keep hoping,” Esther said.
Sixteen years after her transplant, Esther remains just as active. She plays lawn bowls, swims regularly and is an active member of the WA transplant community.
Now, she has travelled to Launceston, Tasmania for the 18th Australian Transplant Games and is the oldest competitor but certainly isn’t slowing her down.
“I might be 84, but I’m not ready to slow down yet,” Esther said.
“Being the oldest competitor is something I’m proud of, but I don’t really think about my age when I’m competing. I just want to get out there, have a go and enjoy it.”
For Esther, the Australian Transplant Games are about much more than competition.
Her transplant has given her the opportunity to travel, spend time with her family and continue experiencing everything life has to offer – something she feels a responsibility to make the most of in honour of her donor and donor family.
“It’s given me an excuse to travel and say, ‘I’ve got a life to live, I’ve got to make it worth it to my donor family,’” Esther said.
That gratitude is at the heart of Esther’s participation in the Games.
For Esther, every event is another opportunity to celebrate that second chance – and to show that life after transplant can be active, meaningful and full of possibility.
