‘You can’t ask for a kidney’

A Cork mum, athlete, and transplant recipient has described how she never thought she would see the day her son got married.

Kidney transplant recipient Amanda O’Neill Coyne from Cork will represent Team Ireland at the European Transplant Sports Championships next week.

Competition will be very much a secondary concern for athletes Amanda told the Cork Independent, with gratitude and the honouring of their donors at the forefront.

Amanda will represent Team Ireland in the golf and pétanque events at this year’s games which kick of this Sunday in Lisbon, Portugal.

It will be Amanda’s second time representing Ireland at the European Transplant Sports Championships, having bagged silver and gold medals at 2022’s games in Oxford.

“It was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” Amanda told the Cork Independent.

“People say the words, 'I got the gift of life', I actually have goosebumps talking about it – they are the truest words ever. It's the greatest gift anybody can ever give,” she added.

Amanda, who is a mum of three, received a kidney from her sister Francis following a shock diagnosis of advanced kidney failure in 1992. When she received the transplant in, she was down to around 3% kidney function.“I would not be here,” she said.“Looking at my children growing up, I could never look too far into the future because I just didn't know.

“You can’t ask for a kidney! And then my sister stepped up and insisted – she wouldn't take no for an answer. I have two brothers as well and both of them wanted to donate, I'm very lucky. They nearly fought over it, but there was no moving Francis,” added Amanda.

Following her transplant, Amanda said she was suddenly filled with hope again.“It's a very small word but it has huge meaning – hope. You have hope. Our son got married in March this year and I never thought I would see that day,” she said.

Running from 21-26 July, the European Transplant Sports Championships will see transplant recipients from 25 countries take part in a week of multi-sport competition.

There are 27 Irish athletes competing in total, led by team manager Harry Ward. The Cork athletes taking part this year are Mick O Shea, Mallow; Hugh Nolan, Doneraile; Mairead O’Mahony, Berrings; Mike Keohane, Rosscarbery; Amanda O’Neill Coyne, Youghal; Pat O’Sullivan, Mallow; Rob Merrigan, Watergrasshill; and Mike Kiely, Mitchelstown.