By Claire Corrigan
Showcasing the importance of organ donation, 29 athletes will represent Ireland at the 9th European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships in Vantaa, Finland in July. Members of Transplant Team Ireland travelled from the four corners of Ireland to attend a photocall and motivational talk by the recently retired Dublin footballer and All Star, Alan Brogan, which was held at ALSAA Sports Complex, Dublin Airport, on Sunday 29 May.
At the event, athletes will compete in badminton, tennis, cycling, darts, golf, petanque, swimming, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis, volleyball, mini-marathon, track and field.
Transplant Team Ireland, which comprises 23 men and 6 women, ranging in age from 18 to 78, includes 22 transplant recipients (4 Liver, 17 Kidney, 1 combined kidney/pancreas )as well as 7 people who are receiving dialysis treatment.
Among the athletes will be two Mullingar men, first-timer Finian Farrell from Macetown, Cloghan, and John Connell from Harbour Street, Mullingar, who will enter the contest for third time this year.
Speaking to Topic, Finian explained that he had his first kidney transplant in 1989 when he was just 21, as a result of an acute nephritis which causes inflammation of the kidney.
“I was on dialysis in March of 1989, and I was called and was on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) three times a day at home.”
He required another transplant by January and finally got the call in February 2008.
Finian said he had often thought about taking part in the games but had repeatedly put it off.
When he started playing tennis again in September of last year, he finally decided to take the plunge. “I thought to myself, ‘I might make a go at it.’ You can take part in five event so I’ll be taking part in tennis, darts, table tennis singles and doubles and partners in 10 pin bowling.”
John Connell underwent a living donor kidney transplant from his sister, Frances, five years ago and will once again compete in cycling events in Finland, including the 5km Time Trial and the 20km Road Race in the 50-59- year-old age category.
Talking to Topic, John said that he was looking forward to his third time taking part in the event. “I’m looking forward to catching up with all my friends at Transplant Team Ireland.
I’ve just achieved my five year post transplant milestone with no issues at all, and have just been offered a senior role as an IT consultant with a UK PLC. Life is good!”
