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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 Leonard Ryan arrow Tallaght Man Leonard Looks Forward to World Transplant Games
Tallaght Man Leonard Looks Forward to World Transplant Games PDF Print E-mail
Written by Colin White   
Friday, 07 August 2009
ImageA Tallaght man is off to Australia next month (AUGUST) as a member of the Irish team in the World Transplant Games – where, in their own eyes, all 19 team members are winners already by just getting to the starting line. Leonard Ryan, from Tymonville Grove, is looking forward to competing in the life-affirming games, where, between them, the Irish team have 13 new kidneys, five new livers and one new kidney-pancreas.

The squad will travel to Gold Coast, Australia, on Tuesday, August 18th. Last year, Leonard received ‘a new lease of life’ with his kidney transplant.

“”I am really looking forward to taking part in the World Transplant Games. I am hoping it is the start of a long career in Transplant Games,” said Leonard, who has received great support from friends and family as he prepares for 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.

For an organ donor card FREETEXT the word ‘DONOR’ to 50050.

Some facts about the Team & the Games
•    These are the 17th World Transplant Games
•    Over 2,000 athletes from 50 countries will take part
•    Next year, Ireland will host the European Transplant & Dialysis Games in Dublin from August 8th-15th.
•    Athletes taking part will have received a transplant of one, or a combination, of the following: kidney, liver, heart, pancreas, lungs, bone marrow
•    In 2007, in Bangkok, Ireland team finished tenth on the medals table from 49 competing countries. Ireland brought home a total of 39 medals
•    Sli Nua Communications (see below) will provide up-to-the-minute reports from the Games.
 
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Give the gift of life. For organ donor cards free text the word ‘DONOR’ to 50050 or log on to www.ika.ie for more information.

 

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