Howadoubletransplantturned Bridieintoatriplemedalwinner
IT’S been 17 years since Sligo’s Bridie Nicholson received a double transplant.
The operation gave Bridie a whole new lease of life.
Having been on dialysis for some time, while also trying to manage her diabetes, Bridie never could have imagined how the transplant could transform her life.
Not only has it done that, but it has propelled Bridie into a whole new way of life.
Just home from the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships in Vantaa, Finland, she is still reflecting from her medal haul.
The Rusheen Crescent woman didn’t win one, but three medals in the Championships, at which she was the only Irish team member to who have received a double transplant.
Not only that, Bridie was also the only one at the competition who had both a pancreas and kidney transplant.
Travelling the continent to take part in the competition is nothing new for the bubbly Bridie.
In fact, this was her tenth time competing at this level. Her first games were in 2004.
Home with gold, silver and bronze medals in darts and petanque events, Bridie says it was a fantastic experience for her.
“I’m thrilled to bits. I’m absolutely delighted with how it went,” she told The Sligo Champion.
“The games are a great learning experience. You learn something new every time. This was my 10th time going to the games. I’m probably one of the longest ones on the Irish team going.”
Participants choose one core sport for the games - for Bridie that was petanque.
Petanque is similar to boules, where participants toss a ball towards another ball in the centre.
Bridie also chose to play darts. And that’s where her first medal arrived.
On the opening day of the competition in Finland, Bridie won bronze in her age category in the darts competition.
On day two, Bridie won gold in her duo with Marie O’Connor in the Petanque Doubles event.
Her silver medal arrived earlier on day two when she was defeated in the Petanque Singles by her team- mate Marie O’Connor.
“Our games started at 9am and continued until six in the evening. In my first game I was losing 8- 2 and I managed to turn it around and win it. I was flying it then after that game.
“Once I got used to the gravel I was grand, it just took a bit of adjusting from my part.
“Darts was just one of the other sports I chose to do. I have a dart board in the house and I can just practice myself.
“Darts started on the Monday morning and it was a nice way to ease into it. It’s all about competition. We’re all the same when we get there. It doesn’t matter about the language barrier.
“The darts went in my favour and I suppose if it went to a play- off for third spot I might not have won it,” she said.
And while Bridie’s competitive streak may have entered the fray during the competition, she never once lost sight of the true reason the competitions are held each year.
“The games are all about sport and competition but it all really helps to promote organ donation. Promotion is becoming more and more important in this day and age so that we can make more people aware of the importance of organ donation,” she added.
And while they all may have been competing against one another on a daily basis, all competitors from all countries came together at stages throughout the competition to ask about family, health and life in general.
Some, especially Bridie, have become accustomed to seeing the same faces each year at the tournament.
“There was around 500 people at the games and about 24 countries. We all mingle together because we would meet each other at all the various competitions.
“We all have that one thing in common so when the games are over for the day we will sit down and chat about life.”
The competition was held in Finland, and for Bridie and other competitors, it drew their attention to health promotion even more.
Finland’s rate of heart disease in the 1970s and 1980s was among the highest in the world.
Several initiatives were put in place to combat that, and ever since Finland has reduced death rates from cardiac problems.
“We joked that all we got over there was rabbit food – there were no desserts! But they have really turned their way of thinking around and now they are such a healthy nation.
“And that’s something that we can all aspire to as well.”
Bridie, an advocate of healthy living, praised the work done by Sligo County Council to promote a health lifestyle in Ireland.
“I have to say, Sligo County Council have done amazing work. They have built outdoor gyms, lots of walking tracks around the county.”
And while her life was changed for the good thanks to her double transplant, she knows that the lives of others can be changed too.
“I had diabetes prior to the transplant and was on dialysis all the time. So it really changed my life. I kind of got a two in one! I was a new woman, and I’m so grateful to the donor. I will always be.
“We really want to encourage people to carry organ donor cards around with them. The wait for a donation is getting longer, and the rate of kidney disease is increasing at an alarming rate. There are more and more people needing organ donations. I have always been an advocate of exercise. It’s so important for your health.
“It’s amazing all the work done by the Irish Kidney Association. They made sure everything ran smoothly for us. From the tracksuits, the hotel, lifts to venues and all of that. They did everything for us. It’s important we support them,” she continued.
To support the Irish Kidney Association, check out www. ika. ie.