Athlone man to take part in Transplant Games
Athlone man Shane Lafferty is to represent Ireland at the European Transplant & Dialysis Games in Zagreb, Croatia, at the end of this month. Shane, from Beechlawn Drive, Monksland, will represent Ireland at bowling and is also signed up for lawn bowls and darts. He is one of a 26-strong Irish team that will travel to Croatia to take part in the European Transplant & Dialysis Games from August 18 to 25. While living in county Roscommon, Shane is a member of the Westmeath branch of the Irish Kidney Association and so will be flying the flag for both counties in Zagreb. Roscommon will also be represented by Monica Finn from Roscommon town, but there are no others from Westmeath. Shane told the Westmeath Independent this week: "I'm very happy to represent my country. It's a dream come true." Shane, who has had two kidney transplants and attends the dialysis clinic at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore three times a week, said he really enjoys bowling and is looking forward to taking on the other teams in Croatia, where he will be taking part in singles and doubles competitions. And he thanked Athlone Leisure World, which has been allowing him to train twice a week free of charge and he'll have this facility right up until he heads to Croatia. He also thanked Michelle Francis, PJ Shine and Ollie Brien for training him in the run up to the Games. Shane and his mother Breda also thanked all those who contributed to the fundraising effort for the Irish team on Shane's behalf. In total over 300 athletes from 28 countries will participate in the Games at the end of the month. Shane is just one of six on the Irish team who hasn't been to the Games before. He and the 25 others on the team attended a motivational talk by renowned transplant surgeon and three-times All-Ireland football title winner in the 1970s, Dr David Hickey on Sunday. Coincidentally, it was Dr Hickey who performed Shane's first transplant. Dr Hickey gave a special motivational speech to the Irish team when they gathered at ALSAA sports complex, Dublin Airport, on Sunday last, July 29. His attentive audience included some grateful athletes whose life saving transplant operations he successfully performed. The Irish ream comprises 17 men and nine women ranging in age from 18 to 74, includes kidney, liver and pancreas transplant recipients as well as people on dialysis.