Kidney recipient bags gold medal at European transplant games

Amanda O'Neill Coyne, from Youghal, Cork, won gold in the ladies singles golf competition at the European Transplant Games.

It was a golden moment — all thanks to organ donation.

Transplant recipient Amanda O’Neill Coyne got a hero’s welcome at Cork Airport after winning gold at the European transplant and dialysis games in Oxford, England.

And her sister, Frances, who donated one of her kidneys to her, was one of the first to hug her and celebrate not just her win, but her inspiring journey since the transplant almost two years ago.

Amanda O'Neill Coyne with her sister, Frances, who was her live kidney donor.

Amanda, 61, said the last week has been a “dream come true”.

“The biggest thing I have now is hope — such hope for life and for the future. I can plan, I can live again. I would encourage everyone to have that conversation about organ donation, and to say yes to organ donation,” she said. 

Amanda, a mother of three who lives in Youghal, with her husband, Tony Coyne, and who plays golf  at Castlemartyr Golf Club in East Cork, suffered kidney failure following the birth of her identical twin daughters, Julie and Edel, 30 years ago.

She was on dialysis for about 18 months before her kidney function returned and thanks to her strict dietary regime, she lived a normal life until about four years ago, when her consultant, Mike Clarkson, told her she was in the latter stages of kidney failure.

“I got such a shock. I just couldn’t believe it. My whole world changed in that moment,” she said.

Friends and family were waiting to greet Amanda O'Neill Coyne when she landed home from the European Transplant Games.

Her kidney function deteriorated quickly and the search for a donor began.

She said: “As a mother, I was looking at my children growing up and was thinking of the landmarks in their lives, like graduation, maybe marriage and grandchildren. I would joke with my daughters about helping them to buy wedding dresses but inside, I was heartbroken because I was wondering if I would be around to see any of that.

“I try to be a very positive person but really, I had little hope that I would get better.” 

Tests on her two brothers and sister confirmed that Frances was a donor match and Amanda said she was extremely cautious during Covid-19 to ensure she was healthy in case the transplant was scheduled.

She had just 3% kidney function when the surgery was confirmed for December 14, 2020.

The surgery and recovery went well but Amanda she didn’t pick up a set of golf clubs until last May, just weeks before the transplant games.

My ambition during recovery was just to take part.

“I carried the flag for the Irish team on the first day and thought that was going to be the highlight of the games for me,” she said.

But she won silver on Monday in the fourball, with golfing partner, James Nolan, whose sister donated a kidney to him 35 years ago, before she scooped gold in the ladies’ singles the day after, with 41 points, several shots clear of the field.

Liz Moloney, the lady captain at Castlemartyr Golf Club, paid tribute to her.

“She is an inspiring, determined and fantastic person — and we’re all just so delighted for her.

“She is such a positive person who brings an awful lot to our club. 

It brings tears to our eyes just thinking of how far she’s come.”

Amanda thanked all her friends, her consultant, Mr Clarkson and nurse Abina Harrington, but she singled out her husband and her father for special mention.

“Tony has been such a rock for me, and my dad, Charles, his support and prayers helped me get through this,” she said.

“It really is a dream come true. But none of this would have been possible without organ donation.” 

As of Friday, Team Ireland was in sixth place out of 24 countries in the overall medals table, with a total haul of six gold, three silver and seven bronze medals, behind Italy, Poland, Germany, and Hungary, with team Great Britain and Northern Ireland on top.