Welsh team making history at transplant World Cup in Itlay
After a frustrating 0-0 draw against Turkey on Friday night, a Welsh national football team with a difference will be hoping to fare a little better at their own international tournament next week.
Kidney transplant recipients Stewart Cleaver and Carl Jones are two representatives of the Welsh national team at the first ever Transplant Football World Cup kicking off in Cervia, Italy this weekend.
Stewart and Carl will line up in the seven-a-side tournament alongside teammates from across Wales who are all living with transplanted organs.
“Being part of this team is great." says Stewart Cleaver, 47 from Swansea.
"We encourage each other and have a great laugh. I was delighted when I received the letter to say I would be going to represent Wales. It’ll be an emotional experience but one I’ll very much enjoy.”
Teammate Carl Jones, 43 from Carmarthen, agrees “I’m excited. To represent my country in the first World Cup for transplant patients will be amazing.”
Defender and Swansea City supporter Stewart was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease as a teenager, as was his brother.
For Stewart, aside from annual check-ups at the renal clinic, his life was largely unaffected by kidney disease until his early twenties. Then his situation became serious.
Stewart said “It affected my blood pressure, and I had a brain haemorrhage. I realised then how serious things were. My kidneys slowly deteriorated and eventually I was added to the transplant waiting list.
“In 2012, I began haemodialysis. I was connected to a machine for four hours, three times per week at the unit after work. Dialysis is tough on your body but also on your mental health. It’s a drain on your life and affects everything. I was on dialysis for five months. I know I was lucky because some of my teammates were on dialysis for several years.
“It was unreal how well I felt when I woke up after transplant surgery. Everyone told me I looked so much better. I will be forever grateful to my donor. I felt for them and their family a lot, and always will. Their kindness in death means I get to live a normal life. It’s a fantastic gift.
“I’ve always played football, and when I saw in the transplant clinic there was a team, I thought ‘I’ve got to go and meet them!’.”
Manchester United supporter Carl is the team’s goalkeeper. When he was born, blood and protein were discovered in his urine, and he was diagnosed with Alport syndrome, a rare disease inherited from his grandfather via his mum.
Carl became diabetic at the age of 12 and doctors kept a close eye on his kidney health as it began to deteriorate.
Carl says: “I wasn’t badly affected until I was about 20, when I couldn’t stay awake and became really ill. My friends took me to A&E and doctors found my kidneys had failed. I needed immediate dialysis.
“My social life went downhill, and I had to give up my job in telephone sales because of how ill I was. It is frustrating not to be able to do the things you used to. It takes its toll.
“I’ve had two transplants from deceased donors. The first was in 2005 but unfortunately it failed after just six months. In 2008 I had my second kidney and pancreas transplant, and I’ve been living with them for 16 years. It’s really sad to think of the donors who lost their lives. I’m so grateful they thought of others.
“Football has always been a big part of my life. I had been looking at joining the Welsh transplant team for a couple of years but didn’t have the confidence. In the end, I thought ‘just go for it’. You never know if you’ll get another chance because a transplant can fail at any time.”
Every member of the Welsh national team has their own personal story of how they’ve reached the World Cup, but they’ve all had to pull together as a team to make it happen.
Carl says “There is limited funding, so it has been difficult raising the money needed to run the team and make it to this tournament. We have to fund training, travel, accommodation, pitch hire, kits, and equipment.
“I’ve been contacting lots of businesses to fundraise. We held a family fun day at Morriston AFC where we played Swansea City’s All Stars.”
Stewart says “We’ve all played our part in fundraising. I ran the Swansea half-marathon with two teammates. The flights are booked now and we’re all ready.”
Anticipation and excitement is growing ahead of the first Transplant Football World Cup, and Carl says: “It’ll be great to make history as part of the Welsh team.
“I’m looking forward to meeting people from other teams and all being there for the opening ceremony. It’s going to be an experience. The most important thing is being part of a team and going through it all together.”
Stewart says “I’m looking forward to walking out for the national anthem. We’ll do our best and hopefully bring some medals home to Wales! We’ve got goals in us, and I think we’ll do well. We just need a bit of luck on our side.
“Organ donation isn’t spoken about enough. If we can raise more awareness, it can save lives. I’ve seen it and have had it myself.”
Lucy Sreeves, executive director at Kidney Research UK said “Many kidney patients, particularly those on dialysis, may feel like they will never do their favourite sports again, but this tournament shows how transplants can change lives and make previously distant goals a reality.
“We want to wish Stewart, Carl and all the teams all the very best for the tournament and to thank them for showing the difference that organ donation can make.”
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