Paul Browne, who received a bone marrow transplant at 17, is set to make history as part of Ireland’s team in the first-ever Transplant Football World Cup in Italy
Paul Browne will represent Ireland at the first ever Transplant Football World Cup.
When Paul Browne was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer at the tender age of 17 he could never have imagined that he would one day play in a world cup for his country. Yet on Monday next he, along with the 15 other members of the Ireland team, will make history by participating in the first ever Transplant Football World Cup.
Held in Cervia, Italy, the tournament runs from September 8-14 and features teams from 11 countries with players who have all undergone transplant surgery on either their heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, or bone marrow. One of two Wexford men on the Irish team, Paul received a bone marrow transplant in 2007 when he was just 17 and is now on the brink of representing his country on the biggest stage.
“I’ve been part of the Transplant Football Ireland team since it was established in 2019,” Paul says. “I was back playing sports and feeling fit when Lar Brennan and Keith Daly, who set up the team, contacted me about playing and I was delighted to join up. We just want to get the word out there about the team, a lot more people are receiving transplants these days and they might not be aware there’s a national team they can come and play for. It’s not just about getting them involved, it’s getting them talking about their condition too.”
Played in a 7-a-side format, Ireland have been drawn alongside Wales, France, Romania, USA and England in their group, with the top two teams progressing to the semi-finals. Having recently drawn 3-3 with England in a friendly and played the Welsh team on several occasions, Paul and the rest of the Irish team are hopeful of doing well.
Paul Browne will represent Ireland at the first ever Transplant Football World Cup.
But the reality is that, for this team, the taking part is just as important as the winning.
“To get to stand side-by-side with these warriors who have overcome so much and been told they’d never play sport again is such a privilege,” Paul says. “And getting to participate in the first ever World Cup with them even more so. These lads understand what it’s like to go through illness; you need to talk about it, and when you’re with people who have been through the same you’re going to feel more comfortable, more able to talk.
“Playing with the lads has thrown up a lot of different emotions, but we’ve all got to know each other really well and it has become like one big family.”