Offaly man to represent Ireland in Transplant and Dialysis Games

Offaly man Declan Guing will represent Ireland at the European Transplant and Dialysis Games in Croatia next month. The Edenderry man will compete in the five kilometre walk, the five kilometre jog and bowling. He was one of 26 athletes from the Irish team given a motivational team talk at ALSAA sports grounds near Dublin airport on Sunday last, July 29 by transplant surgeon and sportsman David Hickey. The European Transplant and Dialysis Games will take place in the Croatian city of Zagreb from August 18 until August 25 and will involve more than 300 athletes from 28 countries throughout Europe. Every athlete competing will either have already received a kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas or bone marrow transplant or be on dialysis. The Irish team of 17 men and nine women ranging in age from 18 to 74 includes kidney, liver and pancreas recipients as well as people on dialysis. Declan will compete in the games next month as a dialysis patient. A virus when he was just married at the age of 27 destroyed his kidneys. A kidney transplant lasted him 18 years, but for the last seven years he's been on dialysis as he awaits a new kidney. While builder Declan says he doesn't get too excited about things, he's looking forward to the trip. "It'll be a break away," he said. "It'll be something different." Declan, who gets dialysis three evenings a week, said he keeps fit walking, jogging and cycling. Athletes at the August games will compete in badminton, tennis, cycling, darts, golf, petanque, swimming, table tennis, ten pin bowling, tennis, volleyball, mini-marathon and track and field events. In his inspirational speech to the team Dr Hickey, the director of transplantation at Beaumount Hospital and a Dublin senior football team selector, said the goal of organ transplantation was illustrated by the team about to head off to represent Ireland. "The goal of successful organ transplantation is not only to save lives, but also to enable the complete physical, social, mental and spiritual rehabilitation of people with organ failure," he said. "The success of this aspiration is gloriously seen in this group of heroic warriors who will represent themselves, their donors and Ireland at the Transplant Games and Dialysis Games this August. They are true Corinthians and more." Irish team manager Colin White added his sense of the occasion. "I am excited about this year's games in Zagreb," he said. "The Irish team has a great reputation for fair play and strong competitiveness at international events. Our team of 26 competitors, including six newcomers, has prepared well and we are looking forward to joining our friends from across Europe in celebrating life through sport." He also encouraged members of the public to think about organ donation. "The message from these games is clear - organ donation works," he said. "I encourage the public to think about it, talk about it and make a commitment to organ donation." For more information on the upcoming games you can visit the Irish team blog at www.transplantteamireland.wordpress.com or see www.etdg2012zagreb.com. Organ donor cards are available by free texting the word DONOR to 50050 or visiting www.ika.ie. You can also download an organ donor card on smartphones by searching for "Donor ECard" in the iphone store or android market place.