Sheila Gregan, from Nenagh, was one of the stars of the British Transplant Games.

Tipperary's Sheila Gregan, along with Skerries' Peter Heffernan (kidney recipient) pictured above, took part in a very competitive swimming line-up at the recent British Transplant Games in Coventry.

The four-day sporting event attracted over 1,200 athletes from across the UK and the North, including heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas and bone marrow transplant patients and kidney dialysis patients.
Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Australia.

Sheila is no stranger to transplant sports having represented Ireland on numerous occasions. Her commitment to transplant sport is such that she will represent Ireland for the second time, following the World Games in Perth in April this year.

Sheila underwent a kidney transplant in 2006 and has represented Ireland at five World Transplant Games, five European Games and one British Games. Speaking about the event, Sheila said: “After competing at the World Championships in Perth, Australia earlier this year, she will be attending this year's UK Championships to keep her fit and keep her focused.”

“This is also a way for me, like all athletes who have received a transplant, to honor my donor. I am competing in these games with like-minded people and showing them that organ donation works. It's an honor to be able to show this, and I'm living proof of that.'' It's important for more people to inform their families and friends of their intentions to donate, so that they don't refuse consent due to lack of knowledge. We actively promote sexuality.

“This is a powerful demonstration that organ donation works and that each player is deeply grateful for the gift of life, no more so than the players on Team Ireland. Transplant Sport Ireland , won 16 gold medals, nine silver medals, and six bronze medals, achieving great success at the competition, but it's not about the medals.

“The Irish team has a common purpose: to showcase the successes of organ donation and transplantation, while also providing inspiration for new transplant recipients and those newly diagnosed with organ failure. One simple request: Please consider carrying your organ donor card and have the conversation – say yes to organ donation,” she says.

Transplant Sport Ireland has 26 adult transplants and 5 underage athletes from Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Louth, Mayo, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. Three living donors participated.

There were many highlights to the four-day event in Coventry, but I have to say that the celebration of successful organ donation was the most obvious. The 31 Irish transplant recipients could not be here without the great gift of life from their donors and their families. . It was also the first time that his 34-strong athlete team was formed by combining adult and children's teams.

Fully transplanted Sports Ireland team:

Cavan: Ciaran Tiernan
Cork: Owen Crudge, Mike Keohane, Patrick O'Driscoll, Michael O'Shea, Charlie Ryan;
Dublin: Riyad Abdelakhder, Jason Flynn, Peter Heffernan, Sam and Ivan Kinahan, Laura.
McDowell, John Moran, Darragh Stapleton, Harry Ward
Galway: Paddy and Sadhbh Brown
Kelly: Alan Gleeson, Patrick O'Connor
Limerick: Trevor Lynch, Tara Madigan
Louth: John Brennan and Andrew Gallagher
Mayo: Billy O'Toole
Hint: Sheila Gregan, Paul Hackett, James Harney, Pascal Kavanagh.
Westmeath: John Connell
Wexford: Rah Brennan, Paul Brown, Richard Gilligan.
Wicklow: Clydna Costello and Tadhg McElroy.