Marie O Connor – part of Transplant Team Ireland – won a staggering 4 medals at the 11th European Transplant & Dialysis Games in Oxford recently.
Marie began the week by securing Gold in the Golf Doubles with partner Mick Dwyer from Cabinteely. She followed this the following day with yet another Gold in the Singles Golf event and won her 3rd Gold on Wednesday in the Petanque held at the splendid Blenheim Palace.
As if this wasn’t enough, Marie then won a Silver medal in the 100 metres and also participated in the Ball Throw. It wasn’t surprising that she became the obvious choice to be chosen as Best Female Athlete of the Games and considering there was over 1000 athletes from 26 countries – this is some remarkable achievement indeed.
The Irish Team with 14 athletes from Dublin, Kildare, Cork, Tipperary, Galway, Limerick, Clare and Roscommon participated in The European Transplant and Dialysis Games held in Oxford UK from Sunday August 21st to 28th winning an amazing 34 medals (10 Gold, 11 Silver and 13 Bronze) and Team Ireland came sixth in the overall Medals Table.
The team took part in the week – long multi-sports competition amongst Heart, Lung, Liver, Kidney, Pancreas & Bone Marrow transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients from over 25 countries. The Irish team was made up of 11 men and three women consist of 9 Kidney recipients, 2 Liver recipients, 1 Double Lung recipient and one on currently Dialysis. Team Captain Harry Ward from Baldoyle himself won 2 Bronze medals.
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
For organ donor cards Freetext DONOR to 50050