Maura swimming as dawn breaks and
(inset) Maura after her swim and back at the docks
Maura (70) sets record in Triple Crown swim
A 70-YEAR-OLD Walkinstown native became the oldest person to successfully cross California’s Catalina Channel in a sub 16-hour swim while raising around €15,000 for the Irish Kidney Associaton (IKA).
Boston-based former primary school teacher Maura Twomey successfully crossed California’s Catalina Channel on Monday, August 17 in an unofficial time of 15:45:23, pending ratification, and in doing so completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, all while raising funds for the Irish Kidney Association following her brother Martin’s transplant in June.
The triple crown refers to the completion of swims across the English Channel, the 20 Bridges Swim in Manhattan and the Catalina Channel – three of the world’s most prestigious marathon open-water swims.
Sixty-year-old Martin received a kidney in June after two-and-a-half years of dialysis and refused offers from family to take theirs in that time also.
His transplant came three years after his wife Catherine’s organs and heart valves were donated after she died from a brain aneurysm.
Maura said: “Martin always put the welfare of his family before his own. Several of us offered to donate a kidney, but he didn’t want any of us to take that risk. He chose to wait, and eventually that call came in June. The transplant at Beaumont Hospital has given him his life back.”
Maura’s brother had to step back from running his 30-strong fleet of buses due to his poor health last year.
A year on, the transplant has transformed his health and given him a new lease of life that had appeared out of reach during his years on dialysis.
Receiving the transplant has brought enormous gratitude, but Martin’s thoughts remain with the family of the donor whose death made his second chance possible, as he has also been on that side of it.
Martin said: “I know what it is like to be on both sides of organ donation.
‘When Catherine died, knowing that her organs and heart valves were donated gave our family some comfort because other families were given more time with the people they loved.
“I hope my donor’s family can find that same comfort. I will always be thinking of them and be grateful for the gift they have given me.”
Maura had completed the first part of the Triple Crown in 2015 when she crossed the English Channel and wanted the final part of the journey to have a purpose beyond the sporting achievement.
By raising funds for the IKA, Maura intended to support kidney patients and their families while encouraging greater awareness of the plight of people in organ failure and the gift of organ donation.
Her brother proved to be an “inspiration” for her challenge, and she noted the “extraordinary” generosity of donors and the help that the funds raised could provide to people in need of these life-changing transplants.
Maura stated: “My brother Martin was my inspiration. Watching from across the Atlantic what he went through on dialysis, seeing how much his health deteriorated and then seeing the difference the transplant has made to him has been incredible. He has been given his life back.
“The generosity of donor families is extraordinary. In the worst possible circumstances, they make a decision that gives somebody else a future.
“I wanted to honour that generosity and hopefully help other people who are waiting for that same life-changing call.”
