A Dublin grandfather 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.

Santry man Paul Prendergast (61) 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. Paul had never been sick a day until he was involved in a bus accident 12 years ago – and that sparked a bizarre chain of events.

“I was coming home from work on the bus when it hit a roundabout and I was thrown across the bus,” said Paul, who has 13 sons and daughters, and 14 grandchildren, all of whom are giving him great support ahead of next month’s Games.

“I suffered two broken ribs and the doctors told me I was very lucky – because the x-rays showed that I had polycystic kidneys.

“Basically, had it not been discovered, I could have dropped dead at any time had my creatine levels flared up.”

After three years on dialysis, he received a kidney transplant in 1999. “I have been in great health since then and I can’t thank my donor enough. I love my life and all the sports I do and I will keep it up for as long as I can,” said Paul, whose wife Rose will accompany him on the trip to Australia.

Paul will participate in the lawn bowls and ten pin bowls events at the World Games. He has competed at previous European and World Games, winning medals at European level, but was forced out of last year’s European Games in Wurzburg, Germany, due to illness. Now, though, he is back as strong as ever and looking forward to taking part. 

 “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.