Cork athletes going for gold
3 Cork athletes are heading to the UK to compete in the European Transplant and Dialysis Games.
The Irish team of 11 men and 3 women consist of 9 kidney recipients, 2 liver recipients, 1 double lung recipient, 1 bone marrow recipient and 1 currently on dialysis. Cork will be represented by Charlie Ryan, Mike Keohane and Amanda Coyne O'Neill.
The week-long, multi-sports competition is amongst heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas and bone marrow transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients from over 25 countries in Oxford and will take place from 21-28 August.
These games signify the importance of organ donation and proves that there is more beyond the success of organ transplantation.
Charlie Ryan from Cobh received a liver transplant in 2007 and joined team Ireland in 2008 going to his first games in Germany.
Charlie said: “I wouldn’t be here today were it not for my donor and their family and taking part in transplant sport is my way of honouring and expressing my gratitude to them.”
He has since attended the games all over the world. Like all those in Team Ireland, Charlie honours his donor at every games. Charlie is known as King of the Darts having won European and world medals in darts for many years.
Mike Keohane from Rosscarbery received a liver transplant in December 2007, having been ill for many years from a congenital auto-immune condition.
A lifelong sports enthusiast, Mike coaches football and basketball at Mt St Michael Secondary School Rosscarbery. He competes to honour his donor and the donor’s family. He has just recently returned from the British Transplant Games where he had triple gold success in the 5km race-walk, shot put and discus.
Amanda Coyne O'Neill, from Youghal, is looking forward to her first transplant games experience. She received her kidney in December 2020 from her "wonderful and only sister" Frances. She will participate in the Team Golf, Golf Singles and the 5km. When Amanda first heard about the games, she was delighted to change her focus from patient to athlete!
Transplant Team Ireland stories are inspirational ones of facing adversity head on and valuing the most precious gift of all - life. Team Ireland also offers inspiration to those who are newly transplanted or newly diagnosed with organ failure. These athletes will compete for medals, but the biggest success is being able to compete at all thanks to their organ donors.
The team has 1 simple request to everyone to please consider carrying an Organ Donor Card and have the conversation about saying yes to organ donation.