Kidney recipients talk about the Transplant Football World Cup

A game of football can be taxing enough at the best of times, never mind when you’re playing in Italy… during a heatwave… with one kidney.

“To say we were knackered by the time we got home would be an understatement,” laughed Graham McCormick, one of three local fellas to recently return from the inaugural Transplant Football World Cup.

Graham, originally from Newtownstewart, is not long back from Cervia, Italy, where he was representing Northern Ireland along with Seamus Coyle, Stephen Maguire and 15 other footballers, all of whom have been the recipients of successful organ transplants.

“For a right few years, I have been part of a Northern Ireland seven-a-side team that has taken part in the British Transplant Games. We would play teams like England and the Republic of Ireland. But this was the first time any of us have been part of such a large competition,” said Graham.

Eleven teams took part in the Transplant Football World Cup, around 180 players, each of whom owe their life to the generosity of a partner, family member, stranger or friend.

“Generally, you tend not to talk about your transplant with people much, especially not friends. But at the football, we all chat about our experiences openly,” said Stephen.

“There is an implicit bond there. Although no two transplants are the same, we still have something important in common. That shared experience connects everybody. In that way, we all understand each other.”

The boys chatted for a while about the environment at the hotel, where all the players in the tournament stayed together.

According to Stephen and Graham (Seamus couldn’t make our meeting), the Chileans were the best craic, followed closely by the Australians and the Welsh. Surprisingly, the Americans kept to themselves.

“It was funny, all the people with heart transplants gravitated towards each other, all the liver transplant people formed a group, and then all the kidney recipients – which is the cohort we were part of – stood around chatting.”

Both men found the image of all the guys sorting themselves into groups in accordance with their transplant type pretty amusing.

Then the chat got a bit more serious.

“On one level, the tournament was about giving people who have undergone a transplant an opportunity to compete,” said Stephen. “Personally speaking, the tiniest amount of physical activity used to have me on my back. To be able to play football is like a dream come true.

“On another level, though, it is about showing other people who have undergone a transplant that they can compete. It’s about telling them that they can do things they might not think they can.

“And on yet another level, it is about showing the public what a difference a person can make by becoming a donor. It’s is life-saving and life-transforming act.

“The fact of the matter is that, if it weren’t for our donors, the majority of the 180 people who played in Italy would not only be incapable of playing football, we wouldn’t be alive.”

In typical Northern Ireland style, the lads did not manage to get out of the group stages, losing out to some heavy hitters in the shape of Spain, Australia, America and Chile.

However, none of the men were particularly bothered by their early departure. Graham summed the defining sentiment up well.

“Before I received my transplant, I spent years getting home dialysis, eight hours every single night.

“I know Stephen and Seamus had it hard as well.

“The smallest amount of exercise would have almost killed us.

“Now, our lives are almost unrecognisable. Each of us have done a half marathon, we play football regularly and Seamus is actually heading off to an international athletics tournament soon.

“Yeah, we didn’t win, but so what? We are living normal, healthy, happy lives. I know a lot of people – my brother included, who has had two unsuccessful kidney transplants – who would love to get where we are.

“So, from that perspective, getting upset about not having won a World Cup trophy just seems a bit greedy,” laughed Graham.