Limerick’s Trevor Lynch brings home two silver medals at Transplant Games

Trevor Lynch pictured above is a cancer survivor and received two bone marrow transplants, he is now part of Team Ireland and competed at the European Transplant and Dialysis Games, which saw him take home two silver medals.

Trevor said the games are a celebration of life and it’s not about winning but to show people that cancer is not the end

By I Love Limerick correspondent Ellie McCarthy

Limerick man Trevor Lynch has bagged two silver medals at the European Transplant and Dialysis Games.

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Trevor, who originally is from Limerick but lives in the UK with his wife and children, won the medals as part of the Transplant Team Ireland at the championships in the 50-59 years category. The games were held in Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Trevor took part in the 1500m, which concluded in him winning his silver medal on his first day of the games. Day 2 saw him complete the event with silver in the 800m.

Trevor Lynch was part of a national squad that won 34 medals, including 10 Gold, 11 Silver and 13 Bronze, and finished sixth in the overall medals table.

This was Trevor’s first World Transplant Games, but he previously competed for Ireland in the British Transplant Games in 2018, winning Silver in the 5k and Bronze in the Track and Field 1600m.

Trevor is delighted at being part of such an amazing team. He said, “The team is really friendly and welcoming, and it is great to compete with and against people who have been through similar experiences to me. Being part of Transplant Team Ireland also gives the motivation to remain as fit and healthy as possibly through the winter months, knowing there is a competition coming up the following summer.”

Trevor was diagnosed with stage 4 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in January 2012. After his diagnosis, Trevor took up running to stay healthy, both mentally and physically, during his chemotherapy treatments. All throughout his treatment, he kept up his training, no matter how bad he felt after treatment because he always felt better after a run.

Originally it was hoped that six months of intensive chemotherapy would take care of this. He enjoyed almost fifteen months of remission during which he participated in various half marathons and triathlons but unfortunately relapsed in late 2013.

Trevor then had the first of his bone marrow transplants in 2014 but relapsed again a year later and had a second bone marrow transplant, the second time round, Trevor received stems cells from an unrelated donor in February 2016. Out of 25 million potential donors, Trevor found one match in Germany. He credits his donor as being his lifesaver and hero.

Since then, aside from some minor flare-ups and radiotherapy in 2018, Trevor’s health has improved greatly.

Trevor believes that being as fit as possible helped him prepare for all the treatment he received and helped him recover quickly and successfully.

It was while he was receiving his second transplant in 2016 that a doctor mentioned to Trevor about the Transplant Games.

Trevor always enjoyed sport but never dreamt that would have the opportunity to represent Ireland internationally. After being given a second chance at life, he is proof that anything is possible.

Trevor wants it to be known that the games are a celebration of life and it’s not about the winning but to show people that cancer is not the end.

The Transplant Team wants to consider carrying an Organ Donor Card and have open conversations about organ donation.

For more information on the European Transplant and Dialysis Games, go HERE

For more sports stories, go HERE