Local athletes prepare for Transplant Games

TRANSPLANT surgeon and thrice All-Ireland football title winner of the 1970s, Dr David Hickey, has paid tribute to a number of brave local athletes who will represent Ireland at the seventh European Transplant and Dialysis Games next week.

Dr Hickey, renowned surgeon and sportsman, gave a motivational speech to the team when they recently gathered at the ALSAA sports complex, Santry.

The audience included athletes whose lifesaving transplant operations were successfully performed by him.

The Irish team, which comprises 17 men and nine women ranging in age from 18 to 74, includes kidney, liver and pancreas transplant recipients as well as people on dialysis.

In his inspirational speech to the team, Dr Hickey said:

“The goal of successful organ transplantation is not only to save lives, but also to enable the complete physical, social, mental and spiritual rehabilitation of people with organ failure.

“The success of this aspiration is gloriously seen in this group of heroic warriors who will represent themselves, their donors and Ireland at the Transplant & Dialysis Games this August. They are true Corinthians and more

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The leading doctor, who is Director of Transplantation at Beaumont Hospital and a consultant urologist, has carried out over 15,000 kidney transplants to date.

Last year, he won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Irish Healthcare Awards.

Following his All-Ireland football successes in the 1970s, he continued his involvement and is now a selector on the Dublin Senior football team.

Speaking about the upcoming European Games, Colin White, team manager, said:

“I am excited about this year’s Games in Zagreb.

“The Irish team has a great reputation for fair play and strong competitiveness at international events.

“Our team of 26 competitors, including six newcomers, has prepared well and we are looking forward to joining our friends from across Europe in celebrating life through sport.

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Mr White added:

“The message from these Games is clear: organ donation works. I encourage the public to think about it, talk about it and make a commitment to organ donation.

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Some of the athletes from North Dublin who will attend the games include team captain Harry Ward from Baldoyle.

Mr Ward has represented Ireland at a number of international games as a dialysis patient and as a transplant recipient, having received a kidney transplant five years ago.

Other athletes include Paul Prendergast and Paul Heffernan from Santry and Skerries respectively.

The athletes will compete in a number of sports such as badminton, tennis, cycling, darts, golf, swimming, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis and volleyball.

The games will be held in Zagreb, Croatia, from August 18-25 and will involve more than 300 athletes from 28 countries throughout Europe.

Every athlete at the games will either have already received a kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas or bone marrow transplant or be on dialysis.