Major organ donation sporting event cancelled

The major organ donor awareness and sporting event, being organised by the Irish Kidney Association and which was to be held in Dublin in August this year, has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 Virus.

The 11th European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships were last hosted in Ireland in 2010, and it was planned that at the event to be held in Dublin in August,  transplant and dialysis athletes from over 25 nations, ranging from 18 to over 80 years old would descend on Dublin to celebrate life through sport.  These Championships offer participants who have either received a transplant (heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas or bone marrow) or who are undergoing dialysis treatment the opportunity to compete in a broad range of sports, playing their part in looking after their own health while also honouring their donors.  

Mr. Colin White of the IKA and Chairman of the local organisation committee of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships, said "transplant recipients and people on dialysis are in the ‘at risk’ category for the virus. When asked about the Championships", he said, "medical opinion has been unanimous – cancellation is in the best interests of the health of all involved. 

"In the nine years that followed since 2010” Colin said, “over 2,000 people have undergone lifesaving transplants in Ireland.  However, the number of people on dialysis has grown by 20% since then.  The Games are an important platform to showcase to the public what can be achieved when people say YES to organ donation”.

For more information on the Games contact the Irish Kidney Association https://etdsc2020.com or 01 6205306.