A NUMBER of Southside athletes are currently in Poland where they are taking part in the 8th European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships.
A total of 34 athletes are representing Ireland at the competition in Krakow, which is running all this week until August 23.
The Irish team of 25 men and nine women range in age from 16 to 76, and includes 29 transplant recipients (five liver, 22 kidney, one combined kidney/pancreas and one bone marrow) as well as five people who are receiving dialysis treatment.
Members of Transplant Team Ireland, which includes three former national and international mainstream sports stars, travelled from the four corners of Ireland to attend a motivational talk by Dublin Senior Football Manager Jim Gavin in the ALSAA Sports Complex before they headed off.
In a previous role Jim flew many missions involving the retrieval of organs and the movement of patients for transplant operations.
Speaking to the team before they embarked for Poland, Jim said:
“I feel humbled and privileged to be in the presence of such a large group of inspirational people.
“You have all experienced huge health challenges with uncertain outcomes.
“However, your resilience and determination to embrace life through sport is commendable and seeing you represent your country surely gives comfort to donor families as well as promoting to the public the indisputable importance and success of organ donation.
“Your participation in sport as a team shows solidarity in your conviction that organ donation works and that sport benefits mind and body and unites people.
?
Team Manager, Colin White, added:
“This year sees our largest ever travelling team for a European Championships, including 10 newcomers.
“I have great admiration for the motivation shown by all of our team members in preparation for our trip to Poland. Not only have they been training hard for their respective competitions, they also pay the majority of the costs involved.
“As well as personal goals, our athletes are very much driven by a passion to showcase the importance and success of organ donation and transplantation.
?
There are two former international sports stars on the team including former Garryowen, Munster and Ireland rugby player, Richard Costello who received a kidney transplant in 2012 as well as Mary Sheehan who in the 1980s represented Ireland for several years in table tennis.
Another accomplished spoÂrtsÂman joining the team is bone marrow transplant recipient Sean Marshall who, prior to being diagnosed with cancer in 2009, was ranked Ireland’s top darts ace.
Among the Southsiders taking part is Deirdre Faul, from Dalkey, a liver transplant recipient and long-time member of Transplant Team Ireland.
Deirdre is an all-round athlete and has competed as part of Transplant Team Ireland since 2006 in a huge number and variety of different sports.
“Being a member of Transplant Team Ireland and participating at the games has been my salvation,
? she declared.
Also taking part is Michael Dwyer from Cabinteely, a kidney transplant recipient who is competing in the 50-59 years age category.
Joining Deirdre and Michael is James Reynolds, from Tallaght, a kidney transplant recipient.
Athletes will compete in badminton, tennis, cycling, darts, golf, petanque, swimming, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis, volleyball, mini-marathon, track and field and, for the first time this year, a summer biathlon event.
At the previous European Games that were held in Zagreb, Croatia in 2012, Ireland was placed in third place on the medals table after France and Slovenia out of 28 participating countries.