Bera Wierhake

Name:
Anne Bera Wierhake 

Date of Birth:
01.10.2000

Region/Country:
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg

Since when have you been transplanted?
2001

Which organ was transplanted?
Liver

Why was the transplant necessary, and what has it enabled you to do?
Just two weeks after my birth, I was diagnosed with biliary atresia. After several failed surgeries, it quickly became clear that a liver transplant was the only option for survival. However, at that time, newborns couldn’t be directly transplanted – they are too small. So, I had to fight for my life over the next few months. After nine months, I received the transplant and have since lived a fairly normal life. I studied, enjoy traveling to distant countries, and do competitive sports. I’ve now participated in several national and international competitions, and last year I broke the world record in the 1500m at the World Transplant Games.

How was the time for you just before and after the transplant?
I can’t really remember the time before and after the transplant because I was so young. I only know about it from what my parents told me. For them, that time was filled with a lot of fear for my life. While my father and my older sister were at home in southern Germany, my mother and I spent most of our time in the clinic in Essen. After the transplant, there were still some complications and additional emergency surgeries. It was only months later that things stabilized, and today I’m as fit as a fiddle.

What role does sport play in your life?
I’ve been involved in sports for as long as I can remember. Immediately after the transplant, movement was of course limited, but later on, my parents didn’t treat me any differently from my sisters. I did children’s gymnastics, horse riding, ballet, and soccer, until I eventually found my way to track and field. Since 2015, I’ve been competing in middle-distance running as a high-performance athlete. No one ever thought such a thing would be possible in the beginning.

What have you already achieved in sports?
German Championships: 11x Gold

European Championships: 6x Gold/ 1x Silver

World Championships:  7x Gold/ 5x Silver / 1x Bronze

What do you associate with the World Transplant Games, and why are you excited about WTG2025 in Dresden?
The WTG is a huge event where transplant athletes from all over the world come together. We compete, but more importantly, we celebrate life together. I really enjoy the atmosphere during the games, which is filled with joy and gratitude for life. For Dresden, and for Germany as a whole, this event is a great opportunity to bring the topic of organ donation back into people’s awareness, and that means a lot to me.

In which competitions will you likely compete in Dresden?
5000m run race / 1500m relay