A Galway city native is representing Ireland on a very special world stage at the end of the month – thanks to her brother’s generosity that gave her a second shot at life.
Sinead McGowan was diagnosed with lupus in 1991, but she has never let that slow her down.
But her condition meant that, in 2009, Sinead underwent a kidney transplant in London – underlining the true meaning of family.
“My brother Seamus donated a kidney to me. I was on dialysis every day for the ten months prior to the transplant,” she recalls.
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system starts attacking healthy tissue. Symptoms—including painful and swollen joints, fever, chest pain, hair loss, and a red rash—can range from mild to severe.
There is no cure for the disease, which lowers sufferers’ life expectancy.
But Sinead doesn’t focus on her condition – instead, she concentrated on her career as a project manager for fashion retailers in Sydney, Australia, where she has lived for the past fifteen years.
The 45-year-old from Renmore – whose parents still live in Larchfield Avenue, where she was born and raised – is now among 29 Irish citizens taking part in the World Transplant Games at the end of June in Malaga, Spain.
The Irish team will join others from over 50 countries in what will be the biggest gathering of transplant recipients this year – with nearly 1,000 competitors registered to take on events as diverse as athletics, badminton, swimming, ten pin bowling and darts.
Sinead’s successful athletic career at the Games started in Sweden in 2011.
With a few silvers and a bronze medal already under her belt, she hopes to add to her trophies this year in Malaga, where she will compete in the 5km road race, 400m freestyle swim, 30k bike race and the athletics.
The past pupil of Calasanctius College in Oranmore also loves the training for the Transplant Games, which take place every two years. “It gives me a goal to aim for to ensure I maintain my fitness at a good level,” she says.
“The Irish team are competitive but most importantly great fun. The games are a great way for everybody to honour their ‘gift of life’, meet up with the transplant community and promote organ donation along the way.”
She has travelled from Australia to two of the past three Games, in Sweden and South Africa, and plans to meet up with Transplant Team Ireland again this year in Spain.
The team ranges in age from 30 to 79 and includes five liver transplant recipients as well as 24 kidney transplant recipients—one of whom is also poignantly the father of a deceased organ donor.
Every athlete at the World Transplant Games will have already received a kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas or bone marrow transplant.
The World Transplant Games will run from June 25 to July 2. Transplant Team Ireland’s participation is coordinated by the Irish Kidney Association.
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