Drumragh Mums Doing What The GAA Does Best.

Friday 06.05.2011

Club

Drumragh Sarsfields’ Gaelic4Mothers team raised some much-needed money
for Transplant Sport UK running in the Belfast City Marathon on the
May Bank Holiday.

The mums entered three teams of novice runners in the relay category
with each runner completing distances ranging from 3.5 miles to 7.1
miles.

Running through the blistering sun the committed mums raised more than
£600 for Transplant Sport UK. This charity aims to showcase the
benefits of transplantation through sport and raise the awareness of
the desperate need for organ donation across Britain.

All the money raised by the charity during the marathon will help to
support the British Transplant Games which are being held in Belfast
in August.

The idea for the Drumragh Gaelic4Mothers to run the marathon came from
Cathy O’Neill after her husband received a kidney transplant in
September of last year.

“Until you are in the position yourself or have a loved one waiting
for a transplant you don’t realise the importance of the organ donor
register,” she said.

“My husband was lucky, in that he had only to spend less than three
years on dialysis. There are many more people, and this includes
children, on dialysis for a lot longer and they desperately need
organs.

“His life has been saved and his quality of life transformed because
someone we don’t know signed up to the organ donor register. No-one
knows what’s around the corner.

“Three people die each day waiting for an organ transplant in the UK
and only 26 per cent of the population in NI has signed onto the NHS
Organ Donor Register.

“Anyone of us could need an organ transplant one day, if you would be
willing to accept an organ to save your life then you should be
prepared to give. You could be giving someone the gift of life. We
would urge everyone to sign up to the organ donor register today.”

You can register now at organdonation.nhs.uk and please discuss your
wishes with your family.