A long way from Kildare! Newbridge woman returns home from World Transplant Games 2023 in Australia

Kidney recipient Bernadette Cox from Newbridge was welcomed home to Dublin Airport on Sunday after taking part in the World Transplant Games in Perth, Australia last week.

Bernadette was part of the 14 strong Transplant Team Ireland left Perth with an impressive haul of 17 medals including seven Gold, six Silver and four Bronze medals.

Bernadette embraced her first ever transplant games experience and she competed in the 60-69 year old age category. 

While she didn’t bring home medals, she showed true sportsmanship by showing up, trying their best, and honouring her donor. 

Speaking on her time at the event, she said: "The experience was fantastic; being with the Irish team and all the other athletes from around the world was brilliant.

"The camaraderie between everybody was brilliant and of course it doesn't hurt that our team won so many medals.

Bernadette continued: "I got my transplant during Covid, so I couldn't do a lot back then and I promised the family when I wrote to them (anonymously) that I would do something to honour them and my donor.

"I feel like I have done this now. This is something totally out of my comfort zone. I may not have won a medal but I have done it, I've lived up to my promise."

"I'm very happy that I I took part in the Games and I did that in honour of my donor," she concluded.

The annual Organ Donor Awareness Week campaign will take place from May 20 to 27.

For more information about Bernadette, visit: https://transplantteamireland.ie/athlete-profiles/bernadette-cox/