Lenny and Verina bag medals at Transplant Championships
By Aideen O'Flaherty
TWO organ transplant recipients from Tallaght saw success in this year’s European Transplant and Dialysis Sports Championships (ETDSC) in Italy, having won four medals between them, including gold, silver and bronze.
Verina Borissova, who is originally from Bulgaria and now lives in Glenview, is a first-time competitor in this year’s games, securing a gold medal in the darts singles and a bronze medal in the petanque singles.
Verina Borissova (left) and Lenny Ryan (right)
Seasoned competitor Lenny Ryan, who is from Tymonville, also had a promising start to the games, having won a silver medal in the petanque singles and a bronze in bowling in the first four days of the week-long championships.
Lenny received two kidney transplants, one in May 2008 and a second in December 2014, while Verina received a combined kidney and pancreas transplant in 2005, however, after five years her kidney transplant failed and she now undergoes dialysis treatment three times a week while on a waiting list for a new kidney.
Verina said: “I am delighted with the result and my practice has paid off. I competed against a Slovenian in the [darts singles] final and she was a great player and it was a very challenging game.
“I really want to thank my previous donor and of course my future kidney donor as I am awaiting a transplant.
“The Irish team has helped me and supported me today, they are brilliant people.”
