Footballer Adam Hughes, who grew up in Tenby, will don the red shirt of his home country as part of the Wales squad taking part in the Transplant World Cup.
“At 36 and having had a kidney transplant for nearly 10 years, you sort of think the chance to pull on an official Wales shirt and compete at a World Cup is gone,” he admitted.
“Incredible”
“But to have this opportunity is incredible and a testament to the power of organ donation to which we all owe our lives.”
Former Greenhill School head boy Adam now lives in Cardiff and works in the communications department of the Welsh Government.
He’s marking his transplant milestone with a number of physical challenges to fundraise for Kidney Wales Foundation and the Wales Transplant Football Team.
He has already completed the Wales Three Peaks Challenge, Ben Nevis and several 10k races, but is now looking ahead to the Cardiff Half Marathon in October 2024, followed in 2025 by the Houston Marathon, The London Marathon, the Wales Marathon in Tenby as part of the Long Course Weekend.
Adam has now set up a Justgiving page where he said: “Without the transplant I simply wouldn’t be here. It has enabled me to move and start my career, travel to multiple countries around the world, play sport again, and most importantly get married to Sabrina and make loads of amazing memories with family and friends.
Adam, who is a former manager of the Carew football team, has previously represented Team GB at the World Transplant Games.
He now gets to compete for Wales after an agreement was reached for the home nations to enter and seek qualification as independent nations.
Heavyweights
Teams – joining hosts, Italy – are European football heavyweights France, Spain, Germany and England, as well as many nations from around the world, including the USA, Chile and Australia.
All players taking part have received various different organ transplants and the event, which kicks off on Monday September 8, can be followed online by searching ‘Transplant Football World Cup’, with games broadcast live on YouTube.
The team was presented with their shirts from the Football Association of Wales by former Wales international and FAW representative Danny Gabbidon at a launch event last month.
“So much more than a football team”
Speaking after the presentation Adam said: “This is so much more than a football team, with our shared experience of illness and organ donation creating a camaraderie and bond that will always outstrip anything we could ever do on a pitch.
“But with that being said, we are going there to win!”
To support Adam’s fundraising, go to www.justgiving.com and search ‘Adam Transplant Anniversary.
