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Vienna is off to Australia
31.07.09
MUFF woman Vienna White
is off to Australia in a couple of weeks as a member
of the Irish team in the World Transplant Games.
Vienna, who lives in Letterkenny, has been looking
forward to these games ever since her 4 gold medals
at the National Transplant & Dialysis Games in 2007.
The squad will travel to Gold Coast, Australia, on
Tuesday, August 18th. This will be her first World
Transplant Games.
Vienna had a kidney transplant just last year, after
spending 13 months on the transplant waiting list.
Now she is looking forward to wearing the green,
white and gold of Ireland at the 17th World
Transplant Games, which will attract over 2,000
athletes from 50 countries.
White will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of
Clonmany’s Hugo Boyce, who claimed gold at the World
Transplant Games in Bangkok two years ago. |
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“These are my first
World Games with the Irish team, but I took part in
the National Finals, and won gold medals in the
200m, ball-throw, and shot-putt. I also won a silver
medal in Badminton.
“I took part in the UK Transplant Racquet Tournament
in Manchester, where my colleague Deirdre Faul and I
won the Badminton doubles. I was runner-up in the
singles, and I also won a trophy for Best Female
Achievement.”
Vienna will take part in Badminton, 100m, 200m and
Long Jump events at the Games.
Like all who take part in these novel Games,
participation is the biggest |
thrill of all, in light
of the health problems all competitors have overcome
just to be there.
“I was on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis
(CAPD) for 17 months, but thankfully I am now fit
and well after the transplant,” explained Vienna.
“It’s not really about winning, it’s all about
taking part.
Team manager Colin White paid tribute to the
determination of the athletes taking part. “They
have worked very hard to prepare for the Games, and
they will help to show the world that you can enjoy
a great life after receiving a transplant,” he said.
Vienna has received generous donations from Cowen’s
New Holland tractor dealers, Manorcunningham; and
Charles Kelly Ltd, Letterkenny. Family members and
members of her local IKA branch have also rallied
around her as she prepares for her appearance on the
world stage.
A special website has been built –
www.transplantteamireland.com – where supporters
can follow the team’s progress and send on messages
of support. The site profiles each athlete and will
carry daily updates on how the athletes are getting
on.
For an organ donor card FREETEXT the word ‘DONOR’ to
50050. |
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