Life Following Transplantation
Life following transplantation is a richly rewarding
experience. Many of our members have taken up their life as
normal following their operation.A lot of us have returned to
work or school or are studying in university. Many of us are
involved in sporting activities, from golf to football. In short,
we are able to enjoy life again.
Being a member of the association has also allowed us to use our experience to help other people in the same situation, and has also helped us to make life-long friendships with fellow transplant recipients and their families.
The Transplant Games
For over 15 years, members of the Irish Heart and Lung Transplant Association have participated in the European Heart and Lung Transplant Games. These games are arranged and hosted under the aegis of the European Heart & LungTransplant Federation and are held in different countries each time.
Since 1994, the games have been held bi-annually, and have
been hosted by Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Norway,
Dublin (2004) and Naples (2006).
Teams from 18 European compete in a range of sports,
including track and field athletics, cycling, golf, swimming,
tennis, badminton, table tennis and volleyball.There are seven
age groups, that go all the way up to 65+, so these games
really are for everyone.
Competition is intense but friendly, though medals are not
easy to come by! However, every competitor is a winner in
the truest sense, competing because THEY CAN. What
better respect to show your donor than to get fit, stay fit, and
truly enjoy your second chance?
If Europe's not big enough, then there is always the World Games, which were held in Japan in 2001, France in 2003 and Canada in 2005. Here the competition is even fiercer but more importantly you get an idea of just how big the world transplant family really is!
