Bettystown girl Rachel to represent Ireland at European games

Meath woman Rachel Eagleton (22) will this week travel to represent Ireland at the European Transplant & Dialysis Games in Wurzburg, Germany. Rachel, who is from Bettystown, received a kidney transplant in June 1996. 'The illness came on suddenly. Within a week I got sick and was brought to Temple Street Children"s Hospital where it was discovered I was suffering from renal failure,' said Rachel, who will be one of 24 Irish athletes at the week-long games, which start on Sunday next, 31st August. 'I was on home dialysis for a year. It was for 12 hours every night but I was young so it didn"t bother me. I was on the transplant list for eight months which is good compared to others.' Rachel will compete in tennis and bowling at the fifth European Games. 'The Games are a great promotion for organ donation. It is a chance for us to show what we can do and show what can be achieved through organ donation,' said Rachel, who won a gold medal in the 10-pin bowling at last year"s World Transplant Games in Bangkok. She also won a bronze medal in tennis. Rachel was diagnosed with non-hodgkinsons lymphoma in October 2005 and finished treatment in March 2006. You can follow the team"s progress on www.transplantteamireland.com For an organ donor card, free text the word 'DONOR" to 50050 or log on to www.ika.ie for more information.