'Tribute to organ donors' as 20 Irish athletes head to British Transplant Games 

Among the 20 athletes representing Ireland at the British Transplant Games are Mike Keohane and Val Weblin (both from West Cork), Donnacha Horan (Roscommon), and Anna Pokojska (Kerry).

Athletes from Cork, Kerry, Mayo, and Dublin are among hundreds of competitors preparing for the British Transplant Games, which get under way in Sheffield today.

Most participants have undergone organ or bone marrow transplants, while separate events are held for living donors.

Val Weblin, from Drimoleague in West Cork, lives with cystic fibrosis and has had a double lung transplant followed by a kidney transplant. He will be competing in snooker, bowling, darts, and football in Sheffield.

“Prior to my lung transplant I was wheelchair-bound for two years and on oxygen all day every day.

Double lung transplant recipient Val Weblin from Drimoleague in West Cork will be playing snooker, bowling, darts, and football at the games.

“The day that call came changed my life and I’ve never looked back,” he said.

Val met his wife Julie after the transplant and they have a 10-year old son, Thomas. Over time, sports and transplant events became an important part of his recovery.

“We all come in different shapes, sizes, and abilities but have organ donation in common,” he said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to take part in games like this and I only wish I got involved sooner.”

Mike Keohane from Rosscarbery is aiming for his 11th consecutive gold medal in the 5km racewalk. He had a liver transplant in 2007 and since then has represented Ireland in over 22 British, European, and World transplant games events.

Liver transplant recipient Mike Keohane from Roscarbery in West Cork is aiming for his 11th consecutive gold medal in the 5km racewalk. 

He was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and was told he had just two months to live unless he received a transplant.

Tournaments like this have been a key part of his recovery since that vital transplant.

“Staying active helps me maintain my health and wellbeing, but representing Ireland is also a tremendous honour,” said Mike. “It gives us an opportunity to demonstrate the life-changing impact of organ donation and to pay tribute to the donors and families who have made our journeys possible.”

The team of 20 Irish athletes includes Anna Pokojska, who has lived in Killarney, Co Kerry, for 20 years. She competes in cycling, walking, and pétanque.

A kidney transplant in 2017 gave her back her life, said Anna, adding: “After years of fighting with kidney failure, I was able to regain my strength and take on new challenges such as hiking and cycling.”

Karol Donnelly, from Ballina, Co Mayo, has had two liver transplants and will represent Ireland for the first time in Sheffield.

She paid tribute to her donors’ families, saying she was grateful to two brave and inspirational families “who made a hugely difficult and painful decision to donate their loved ones’ organs at an incredibly tough time. I’m in awe of my donors’ families.”

Donnacha Horan from Roscommon is one of the three uner-18s in the Transplant Sport Ireland team heading to Sheffield this week. His mum Emma paid tribute to his organ donors for 'the life we could only have dreamed of before transplant'.

There are three under-18s taking part in the games, including Donnacha Horan, from Fairymount, Co Roscommon, who is going to his first event. He will compete in the 2.5km run, 60m sprint, obstacle race, football, and long jump.

He was diagnosed with a serious liver condition at just two years of age. He had two liver transplants in 2022, when he was aged six.

“Life after transplant could not be more different for Donnacha,” said his mother Emma.

“He is living a life now that we only could have dreamed of before transplant.”

• Niamh Griffin, Health Correspondent

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