5 Medals for Irish Transplant athletes at British Transplant Games:
After an absence of a few years due to the Covid pandemic, the British Transplant Games took place last weekend in the UK city of Leeds. Running for over 40 years, The Westfield Health British Transplant Games are a celebration of life. The 4-day event attracts around 1000 transplant athletes and more than 1700 supporters. Transplant survivors including children as young as five can compete in more than 25 sports and indeed, many athletes also go on to compete at the World Transplant Games. The Games are organised on behalf of Transplant Sport whose aim is to raise awareness of the need for organ donation, encourage transplant recipients to lead active lifestyles and show appreciating for, and remember, donors and their families. Team Ireland participated with two athletes Mike Keohane from Rosscarbery in West Cork - a Liver recipient - and Peter Heffernan – a kidney transplant recipient - from Skerries in Dublin.
Competition started for Peter Heffernan on Saturday with the swimming events all day. Peter won a Silver medal in 50m Breast stroke and Bronze in the 100m Freestyle. Peter received a kidney transplant in 2011, married to Trish and is the proud father of two sons, Pearce and Cian. Peter says, about the Games, “I want to say thanks to my donor and spread the message that organ donation works and that life goes on after transplant. In fact you get a new lease of life after transplantation”.
Whilst the swimming was in motion, Mike was taking part in the 5k Race-walk- an event he has won since 2014. Both events took place in the historic John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds City. Mike once again reclaimed his race-walking title, winning the Gold. On Sunday Mike was competing in his track and Field events of Shot Putt and Discus and claimed Gold Medal in both these events. Mike received a Liver transplant in December 2007, having been ill for many years from a congenital auto-immune condition. A lifelong sports enthusiast, Mike has played football for his local Club Carbery Rangers, his school and the Carbery Teams. He coaches Football and Basketball at Mt St Michael Secondary School Rosscarbery and also competed in soccer, basketball and rowing. So Peter & Mike came home with 5 medals between them– a superb achievement indeed.
Mike and Peter are now preparing for the European Transplant Championships to take place in Oxford at the end of August. Transplant Team Ireland will have 13 athletes competing in events such as Golf, Tennis, Track & Field Athletics, Ten Pin Bowling & Darts to name but a few. The team will officially launch their Team Kit on Sunday August 7th at 10am in Kilcullen, Co Kildare with an inspirational speaker - an Irish Olympian! Like all their colleagues in Team Ireland, Mike and Peter compete to honour their donor and the donor’s family.
Transplant Team Ireland athletes’ stories are inspirational ones - of facing adversity head on and valuing the most precious gift of all – Life. Team Ireland’s showcases the success of organ donation and transplantation whilst offering inspiration to those who are newly transplanted or newly diagnosed with organ failure. To keep up to date on Team Ireland's progress, visit transplantsportireland.ie and their corresponding social media platforms linked from the website. 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.