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Transplant Team Ireland

Countdown to World Transplant Games - Sweden 2011   2011-6-17 17:00:00 GMT+00:00

Home arrow Athletes arrow James Hannon arrow Longford Transplant Recipient Ready to Take On the World
Longford Transplant Recipient Ready to Take On the World PDF Print E-mail
Written by Colin White   
Saturday, 25 July 2009
ImageA 26 year-old Longford man is off to Australia next month (AUGUST) as a member of the Irish team at the World Transplant Games – where, in their own eyes, all 19 team members are winners already by just getting to the starting-line.
James Hannon, Edgeworthstown, is looking forward to competing in the life-affirming games, where, between them, the Irish team members have 13 new kidneys, five new livers and one new kidney-pancreas.

The squad will travel to Gold Coast, Australia, on Tuesday, August 18th. This is James’ fifth time to compete for Ireland, and he has previously brought home gold, silver and bronze medals from World and European Games.

James will be joined at the Games by his parents Martin and Teresa. He received his first transplant at just nine years of age.

ImageHis renal failure resulted from complications stemming from his underlying disease Cystinosis, a rare, progressive life-threatening disease. Only members of five families in Ireland suffer from it.

“It lasted ten years and then it just gave up,” he said.

He was put on dialysis before his second transplant. “The dialysis was tough. I was exhausted from it and I was too tired to do anything. There were times when my blood pressure would drop and I became really sick with stomach cramps,” he explained.

“I felt like the second transplant was never going to come and I was fed up of the whole thing.”
James’ prayers were answered in January 2005, when he received a transplant, transforming his quality of life.

ImageParticipation is the biggest thrill of all for those who take part in these Games, in light of the health problems all competitors have overcome just to be there. James will take part in ball-throw, ten pin bowls, and lawn bowls. He is grateful to all who have sponsored him so that he can take part in these Games.

“It’s not really about winning, it’s all about taking part. We honour our donors by showing that organ transplantation works. That’s a vital message to promote as the need for a life-saving organ transplant can visit a family with devastating speed, and at any age, even babies and children,” said team captain Mick Dwyer, who ten years ago had a kidney transplant.

Team manager Colin White paid tribute to the determination of the athletes taking part. “They have worked very hard to prepare for the Games, and they will help to show the world that you can enjoy a great life after receiving a transplant,” he said.

The full Irish team is:
Paul Donohoe (Cavan); Michael Dwyer (captain, Dublin); Deirdre Faul (vice-captain, Dublin); Tony Gartland (Wicklow); James Hannon (Longford);  John Loftus (Limerick); Philip Martin (Dublin); Tom Metcalfe (Dublin); Linda Meyler (Galway); Catherine Murphy (Cork); James Nolan (Kildare); John Paul O’Neill (Kilkenny); Paul Prendergast (Dublin); Orla Hogan-Ryan (Tipperary); Charlie Ryan (Cork); Leonard Ryan (Dublin); Angela Sherlock (Dublin); Harry Ward (Dublin); and Vienna White (Donegal.)
The team will be accompanied by manager Colin White; team doctor Emer Kilbride; physio Clare Hogan; and Mark Murphy, the CEO of the Irish Kidney Association, who is also a member of the World Transplant Games governing body. The team kit is sponsored by Shire Pharmaceuticals.

A special website has been built – www.transplantteamireland.com – where supporters can follow the team’s progress and send on messages of support. The site profiles each athlete and will carry daily updates on how the athletes are getting on.

Details of James’ Cystinosis condition can be found on http://cystinosisfoundationireland.wordpress.com.
For an organ donor card FREETEXT the word ‘DONOR’ to 50050.
 
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