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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 Philip Martin arrow Philip Makes Debut at World Transplant Games
Philip Makes Debut at World Transplant Games PDF Print E-mail
Written by Colin White   
Saturday, 01 August 2009
ImageDubliner Philip Martin is “thrilled” to be off to Australia this month (AUGUST) as a member of the Irish team in the World Transplant Games – and he will be eternally grateful to his sister Lorna who last year donated one of her own kidneys for his third transplant. Swords man Philip had his first transplant at just four years of age after being born with one non-functioning kidney, while the second one operated at just 30 per cent of capacity.

Eleven years later, when he was 15, Philip had to have another transplant when the first one started to fail – and last year, at just 21 years of age, Philip was given his third transplant.

“My sister Lorna donated one of her kidneys to me, and I am so grateful. Life is incredibly good for me now – this time last year, I couldn’t walk eleven holes of golf, and now I can play 18 holes and still have energy to spare,” said the 22 year-old apprentice carpenter.

“I have got a new lease of life and I am really making the most of it. That’s why I am looking forward to the World Transplant Games in Gold Coast, Australia, where I will compete in golf, swimming and ten pin bowling.”

Between them, the Irish team have 13 new kidneys, five new livers and one new kidney-pancreas.
The squad will travel to Gold Coast on Tuesday, August 18th. It is Philip’s first time to represent Ireland in transplant athletics.

“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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