A MAN from Bangor is aiming to compete in the first Transplant Football World Cup after his sister gave him one of her kidneys.

Rhys Owen is a member of the Wales Transplant Team, which is raising money so it can compete in the international competition that will be held in Italy in September.

The 37-year-old investment analyst for wealth management firm Quilter, who lives in Bangor, and is originally from Connah's Quay, was able to have a kidney transplant four years ago thanks to an organ donation by his loving younger sister Hannah Kennedy, 29.

The father of three has described the opportunity to represent his country on the international stage as the stuff of “dreams”.

The team’s fundraising efforts have been backed by pro-independence group, YesCymru. The campaigning organisation has set up a crowdfunding page and has pledged to provide match funding for the final total raised up to £5,000.

YesCymru Chair Phyl Griffiths has described the group of players as “heroic”

The team is coached by John Murphy, a former Swansea City Centre of Excellence coach.

Rhys said: “I left university and I went to join a gym in Deeside where they took my blood pressure, and I was told it was too high and that I should get it checked out with the local GP.

“So I went to the GP and found out that I had what’s called chronic kidney disease, which is a slow erosion of the kidney function.

“Though I’d had it all my life I was only diagnosed at the age of 21. I was on roughly about 30 per cent kidney function at that time.

“And then fast forward to February 2020 and then I was in a position to either need dialysis or a transplant, and thankfully my younger sister Hannah stepped up to donate to me.

READ MORE:

Veteran marks her 100th birthday with a visit to RAF Valley

Anglesey establishment up for prize at British Restaurant Awards 2024

“It was successful in that it wasn’t fully rejected by my body. It was rejected partially. I’ve got the best kidney function I’ve ever had and that’s around 50 per cent.

It’s not a cure but it’s given me a much better quality of life. I have more energy and feel less unwell. It’s other people that notice the difference in me more.

“At the point where I needed a transplant, I would need to have a kip on a Saturday and a Sunday when I wasn’t working.

“I don’t need any of that now. I’ve got a lot more energy and I’ve been able to accomplish a lot since I’ve had the transplant and long may that function continue.

“I’m under no illusions that the transplant isn’t a cure and it will eventually deteriorate to the point where I need further treatment but at the moment I’m happy and I can’t complain.”

To donate, please visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/yes-cymru-5.

Rhys added: “Hannah donating this kidney meant the world to me. It gave me a new lease of life, and from a health point of view it has changed things. My quality of life is markedly better.

“Post-transplant, someone from the Kidney Wales charity messaged me and told me that there was a Kidney Wales football team and a transplant games team that go British Transplant Games which is organised every year.

“I attended my first one on in 2022, and you get to choose which sport you take part in. I chose football not really knowing that there was already this community lads playing it.

“So I went along, I played in the tournament and joined the team and the community of lads from there really, and now we’re heading towards the World Cup. It’s a cracking bunch of lads.

“Having the opportunity to represent Wales at the Transplant World Cup means everything. I’m a proud Welshman so getting to represent my country would be absolutely incredible.”