Daniel McCarthy -- Ireland

 Age: 28

 Transplant: Heart, 1991

 Hometown: Rostellan, Midleton, Cork, Ireland

 Events: 5K walk, lawn bowls, ten pin bowling, badminton

 Daniel's Story: Daniel McCarthy's parents were told that he could only last a week, but now, 28 years later, Daniel is the successful recipient of a heart transplant. He runs an Irish pub in Rostellan, Midleton, Co. Cork. He is surrounded by his loving family of eight brothers and sisters, and of course his mom who supported him down the years. Daniel's greatest regret is that his dad died before he received his heart transplant.

 Daniel has become a community leader in his area. He has won awards and trophies from his local GAA Club, he has also won Vintner's Association awards, and a number of awards in the Heart Transplant Games in Helsinki, Finland.

 My message to the world: My life has been completely transformed by the precious gift of a new heart and I want as many people as possible to realise that such tranformations are possible.

 There are no words to express,the joy I feel, the sense of carpe diem.

 Not a moment is wasted. Sometimes, I find the materialistic concerns of the world difficult to accept. People are so busy making money that they never stop to think about the quality of their lives. Take it from me -- stop and smell the flowers. Get a real life, not one devoted to money making. People ask me what my expectations are in the matter of longevity. Quite honestly, I scarcely ever give it a thought. Woody Allen tells us that the best way to make God laugh is to tell him our plans for the future.

 Why should I worry about longevity, any more than anyone else. Cicero had a point, when he told Cato at the age of 18, that "...each decade has its compensations."

 

Last modified: 11 May 2000