It is not every day that you meet someone who can take all the curve balls life throws at them and keep going with a positive attitude. P. Sumeer Kumar, a former professional cricketer and transplant athlete from Chennai, is one such individual. His childlike enthusiasm and sportsmanship belie the physical and mental struggles he has faced over the years. After two transplants and multiple procedures over the years, he will be competing at a global sporting event organised to enthuse transplant recipients.
Kumar wears many hats, including former cricketer, badminton player, athlete, and holistic wellness coach. But advocating for transplant survivors is closest to his heart. He is one among the 31 participants who will represent India at the World Transplant Games (WTG) in Perth, Australia later this month.
Over 2500 sportspersons from 50 countries are expected to compete in the transplant games, which are billed as the world's largest transplant awareness event and sporting platform.
Apollo Hospitals is sponsoring Kumar's journey to the World Transplant Games to honour the bravery of transplant recipients and to demonstrate long-term support for patients beyond the treatment cycle.
Kumar, a former patient of Apollo Hospitals, is grateful for the doctors' unwavering support and expertise throughout his treatment programme. "I hope my story inspires others like me to push forward and strengthen the narrative for transplant survivors," he says.
Kumar's stellar track record as a sportsman precedes his struggles with his body, making him the pride of the transplant community and an inspiration to others on similar journeys. A two-time kidney transplant recipient, he has endured a two-decade battle with various medical ailments.
He was diagnosed with acute kidney failure at the height of his cricket career in the early 2000s. His kidneys failed again several years later due to respiratory infections during a high-altitude training program. Kumar has since undergone multiple critical surgeries at Apollo Hospitals, including open heart procedures.
As a result of the pandemic, he suffered a paralytic attack from a stroke. But, thanks to Apollo Hospitals' ongoing support and care, as well as his determination and resilience, Kumar overcame the odds and became an inspiration to the transplant community.
Kumar’s sheer determination earned him recognition as the 'Grand Master' by the Asia Book of Records 2020 and Indian Book of Records 2020 for being the first person to complete a 10km marathon within 113 days of his second renal transplant.
Speaking at the event to facilitate Kumar, Dr Venkatesh Rajkumar - Senior Consultant, Nephrologist, Apollo Hospitals underscored the organization's effort as an opportunity to showcase heroes from India on international platforms. “We feel it is vital for us to go beyond the treatment cycle and connect with patients in a way where we can meaningfully impact their lives,” he added.
Not a one to be bogged down by life’s challenges, Kumar currently volunteers with Kidney Warriors Foundation, an NGO that advocates for quality of care for patients with kidney disease and he strongly advocates the philosophy and importance of holistic wellness.