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 THREE
years ago Conor Patton was having a life saving kidney
transplant at the Royal Hospital for sick Children in Belfast.
Now, the 16-year-old from Trumery Drive in
Crumlin, is set to be the only teenager representing the United
Kingdom at international level in the World Transplant Games in
Australia's Gold coast next August.
Conor will be competing against the best in
the world in 100 metre sprint, relay, obstacle, badminton and
long jump.
The Crumlin schoolboy returned from the
British Transplant Games in Sheffield this year with a silver
and two bronze medals in obstacle, sprint and badminton. He has
also competed in the Transplant Games in Bath in 2006, Edinburgh
in 2007 and due to his success can now compete at international
level.
The sporting sensation is a far cry from the
youngster who suffered kidney failure in October 2002. He spent
four days in intensive care at the Royal and a further five
weeks in hospital before he was allowed home and placed on
dialysis for two years.
He was put on the Transplant list waiting for
a donor but meanwhile his parents Catherine and John were tested
and his father was deemed suitable to be a donor.
In February 23, 2005 Conor received a kidney
donated by his father.
His mother Catherine said: "Transplant Games
are held to promote and to raise awareness of the need to
increase organ donation.
"Conor loves football and played even when he
wasn't well. He couldn't play for more than 20 minutes - but he
always loved sport.
We remember what it was like when Conor was
so ill that he could not play, so it's a big achievement for him
to go to the World Games and obviously we are very proud of
him."
For over 20 years the World Transplant Games
Federation has been staging international sporting events for
transplant athletes in order to demonstrate the physical success
of transplant surgery.
To help finance the trip for Conor, his
father John has been writing to local businesses and holding
fundraising events.
On Friday November 14 there will be a junior
disco for primary school children at Crumlin United Football
Club from 7-8.30pm and then one for U18's from 8.30pm to 11pm at
the same venue.
On the same date Conor Armstrong Live Band
will be playing live at the Fiddlers Inn from 9pm to lam.
mary.magee@jpress.co.uk
Ulster Star
31/10/2008
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