A NUMBER of Northsiders are among the 24 inspirational athletes who are representing their country at the 10th European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships in Cagliari, Sardinia this week.
Over 25 countries and 470 participants are expected to participate in the European Championships. The current panel of Transplant Team Ireland comprises 24 athletes, 10 women and 14 men, ranging in age from 31 to 80, and includes five liver transplant recipients, 16 kidney transplant recipients and three dialysis patients.
Included in the team is Peter Heffernan, Skerries (kidney); Ron Grainger, Castleknock, (kidney); Paul Prendergast, Santry, (kidney), Aoife Murray, Clonsilla, (liver), Harry Ward, Baldoyle, (kidney) and Chikoyo White, Balbriggan (dialysis).
Tyrone's GAA football legend Peter Canavan gave a motivational talk to the team last month and expressed his admiration for them.
“You are an inspiration to us all,” he said.
“Many of you are now fighting fit having faced huge health battles which many of you have overcome thanks to organ donation, while three of you, are still battling through organ failure and like the rest of the team imbue great personal inner strength and positivity by keeping active and engaging in competitive sport.
“I now encourage you to harness your positivity in your final preparations for competition and aim to be the best that you can be in your chosen sports. Be confident in your abilities when competing at the European Championships and show how much can be achieved by embracing life through sport.”
The team is captained by Dubliner and kidney transplant recipient Harry Ward and the panel also includes Team Doctor Heather Gunning and Team Manager Colin White who is currently also the Honorary Secretary of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Federation.
“The Irish team has developed a wonderful reputation at the European Championships over the years,” said White.
“There is a great history of top results – regularly finishing in the top five countries on the medals table. Also, the team’s sense of fair play and camaraderie are always appreciated.
“Team members take on the personal challenges offered by the Championships, but they also take on the collective responsibility to showcase the importance and success of organ donation and transplantation. I always enjoy the impact that the team’s endeavours have on others living with organ failure. Their positive can-do attitude inspires those newly diagnosed to realise that there is the potential for a very full and rewarding future.”
The Irish Team has enjoyed great success at other European Championships over the past number of years. At the previous European Championships, which were held in Vantaa, Finland, in 2016, the Irish team's final medal tally was a staggering 21 Gold, 19 Silver and 29 Bronze.
This placed Ireland’s 28 strong team in fifth position on the medals table, with host country Finland, and a much larger team of 96 athletes, taking top position out of 24 competing countries.
The European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships are a celebration of life and showcase the value of sport and regular physical activity for people on dialysis and transplant recipients. The Games are open to all kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas, bone marrow transplant recipients as well as dialysis patients.
The Irish Kidney Association (IKA) is the charity organisation that manages Transplant Team Ireland’s participation at British, European and World Transplant Games events.
The IKA is looking forward to bringing the biennial European Games back to Ireland in 2020 after it successfully hosted the 6th European Transplant & Dialysis Games in Dublin in 2010, which attracted over 500 participants and supporters from 23 countries.
Organ Donor Cards can be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01-6205306, Freetexting the word DONOR to 50050 or visiting www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card.