Sheila Gregan from Nenagh was amongst the stars of the British Transplant Games

placeholder image — Tipperary’s Sheila Gregan along with Skerries man Peter Heffernan (kidney recipient)

Tipperary’s Sheila Gregan along with Skerries man Peter Heffernan (kidney recipient)who are pictured above, took part in a very competitive swimming line up at the British Transplant Games held in Coventry recently.

The 4 day sports competition was amongst over 1200 athletes all Heart, Lung, Liver, Kidney, Pancreas and Bone Marrow transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients from all over the UK, Northern

Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia.

Sheila is no stranger to Transplant Sport having represented Ireland many times. Such is her commitment to Transplant Sport that this was her 2nd trip representing Ireland, having done so already at the World Games held in Perth during April of this year.

Sheila had a Kidney Transplant in 2006 and has represented Ireland in 5 World Transplant games, 5 European games and 1 British Games. Speaking about the event, Sheila says: "I am taking part in this year’s British games to continue to keep fit and maintain focus after competing in the recent World games in Perth Australia earlier this year.

"It is also a way that I can, along with all transplanted athletes can honour their donors. It is a privilege to compete in these games alongside like-minded people, showcasing that organ donation works and I am living proof of that. Transplant Sport actively promotes the importance of more people telling their family and friends they wish to donate, so that families do not refuse to give consent because of a lack of knowledge.

"It demonstrates powerfully that organ donation works and each athlete is deeply grateful for the gift of life – none more so than the athletes in Team Ireland. Transplant Sport Ireland had huge success at the Games winning 16 Gold, 9 Silver and 6 Bronze medals but it’s not about the medals.

"Team Ireland has one shared purpose – to showcase 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," she says.

Transplant Sport Ireland had 26 transplanted adults, 5 transplanted underage athletes, and 3 living donors competing from Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Louth, Mayo, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

Whilst there were many highlights of the 4 day event in Coventry, it must be said that the celebration of the success of Organ Donation was the most obvious as 31 transplanted Irish athletes would not be there without their donor and the donor’s family’s great gift of life. It was also the first time that the Adults team and the Children’s team combined making it a strong 34 athlete team.

FULL TRANSPLANT SPORT IRELAND TEAM:

CAVAN: Ciaran Tiernan,

CORK: Owen Crudge, Mike Keohane, Patrick O'Driscoll, Michael O'Shea, Charlie Ryan,

DUBLIN: Riyadh Abdelakder, Jayson Flynn, Peter Heffernan, Sam and Ivan Kinahan, Laura

McDowell, John Moran, Darragh Stapleton, Harry Ward

GALWAY: Paddy and Sadhbh Browne

KERRY: Alan Gleeson, Patrick O Connor

LIMERICK: Trevor Lynch, Tara Madigan

LOUTH: John Brennan and Andrew Gallagher

MAYO: Billy O Toole

TIPPERARY: Sheila Gregan, Paul Hackett, James Harney, Paschal Kavanagh

WESTMEATH: John Connell