TRANSPLANT SOCCER - TEAM IRELAND:
The inaugural Irish Transplant Soccer team took part in an international soccer tournament in Solihull, Birmingham this past weekend. The Team consisting of 11 Transplant Recipients - 3 Heart recipients, 1 Double Lung recipient, 2 Liver recipients, 4 Kidney recipients and 1 Bone Marrow recipient. Each has an extraordinary story and each showcase the power of organ donation. The players came together with a dream of representing their country in a sport they love and enjoy, and in doing so both honouring their donors, donor families and help raise awareness of organ donation.
Ages of the Irish team ranged from early 20’s to early 50’s and with over 100 years combined of transplanted life. After 4 gruelling well-fought matches, where the team won two matches and drew two matches, they qualified for the final. Even though they did not win the final, they were overjoyed to take the Silver medal position. This was truly a brilliant example of organ donation working at its best. Next on their agenda is taking part in the British Transplant Games, in Coventry in July, and then the team will be challenging for the first ever World Cup Transplant Soccer in Italy next year.
Transplant Team Ireland is not all about medal success - it is a celebration of life through sport. Medals are great and hard earned, but the real success is each and every athlete who takes part in these Games. Whilst their stories are unique, each share a common bond of facing adversity. Team Ireland showcases the success of organ donation and transplantation whilst offering inspiration to those who are newly transplanted or newly diagnosed with organ failure. The Team have one simple request to everyone - to please consider carrying an Organ Donor Card and Have the conversation – Say YES to Organ Donation.
TEAM LIST: Captain John Brennan (Dundalk - Heart) Goalkeeper Alan Gleeson (Kerry - Double Kidney) Lar Brennan (Dublin - Double Lung) Mike Keohane ( Rosscarbery, Co Cork - Liver) Patrick O’Driscoll (Aghiohill, Co Cork - Liver), Owen Crudge (Clonakilty, Co Cork - Kidney) Paschal Kavanagh (Tipperary - Kidney) Andrew Gallagher (Louth - Kidney), Mick O’Shea (Mallow, Cork - Heart) James Harney (Tipperary / - Heart) and Paul Browne (Wexford - Bone Marrow).
Also in picture Top Right is Transplant Team Ireland Team Captain Harry Ward – Baldoyle, Dublin, himself a Kidney recipient.
If you would like to join the team or become involved in any way, check out their social media Facebook page –Soccer Transplant Team Ireland or their website www.soccertransplantteamireland.ie
You can also email info@soccertransplantsteamireland.ie or transplantsportireland@gmail.com