Declan Logue, 50, recipient of a kidney transplant in 1999, has been selected to represent Team Great Britain at the 20^th World Transplant Games being held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from 23rd August-30th August 2015.

http://www.wtgf.org/events.asp?section=0001000100160001&itemid=751

   The UK&NI transplant athletes are the third largest British sports team (after the Olympians and Paralympians).  Unlike them, we have to raise all of our support and funding.  At the 2013 World Games in Durban, South Africa yet again we topped the medals table with over 100 gold medals.  We also claimed even more World Transplant Games records. 

   And I, Declan Logue, have been selected to head to Argentina to be part of Team GB - I just need to raise the necessary support.

   This is to raise funds to cover Declan Logue’s expenses associated with attending the World Transplant Games in Argentina, South America. Any surplus funds will go towards the Transplant Sport UK Management Team (including physios and coaches) who give up their time to support the team. Should I be unlucky in not being able to attend, then the funds will be held to cover expenses for the next World Transplant Games.

I also doing this to raise awareness for the benefits of Organ Donation and Transplantation.  Please register on the NHS Organ Donation Registery calling 0300 123 23 23 or by logging onto www.organdonation.nhs.uk - PAY IT FORWARDS

My story

   I went onto dialysis in 1997, 10 years after being diagnosed with Wegener’s Granulomatosis, a blood disorder that meant my immune system stopped recognising my own tissue, and so attacked my own body.  This scarred my kidneys, and over the next 10 years they deteriorated until the point that I required dialysis in order to stay alive, scarring my kidneys.  I was most fortunate to receive a kidney transplant in October 1999 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The donor family’s compassion and generosity, at the point that they had suffered their loss, has given a second life to me.

   Ever since then, I haven’t looked back. I started to compete at the British Transplant Games, open to all who had received a transplant and were demonstrating the Gift Of Life, rediscovered the pain of exercise - and the pleasure of achievement afterwards. Inspired by them, I have done things I never thought I would. I started to run – and ran the London Marathon (never mind the time, look at the distance).  I won medals at the British Transplant Games in Golf and Swimming (Breaststroke 100m) – and even the virtual Triathlon.                                                                           

   I completed with Team GB at the World Transplant Games in Gothenburg, and won a Bronze medal in Floorball (think indoor ice hockey without the ice) – against Australia.

   Now, I am fortunate to be selected for the World Transplant Games for 2015, to be staged in Mar del Plata, Argentina.  This has made me even more keen – I have been training through the winter on my bike in the garage, staring at the fridge door, getting nowhere – but actually getting fitter for the next challenge to come.

   So, I am being supported by TeamDeccers2015.  We will cycle Coast To Coast.  We will dip our back wheels into the Irish Sea, at Whitehaven in Cumbria, and then cycle over 2 days, 140 miles and 10,600 ft of climbing through the Lake District and over the Pennines to get to Tynemouth, where we will dip our front wheels into the North Sea.

   TeamDeccers2015 is:

1. Boudicca Stally (Logistics PM)
2. Charles Holmden
3. Declan Logue
4. Jamie Flanagan
5. Katerina Golomb
6. PendaBede Stally

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