Beggy to referee in Croke Park!

They've previously almost done the full monty on celebrity 'You're A Star', but footballing trio David Beggy, Jack O'Shea and Barney Rock were runited for a different cause this week - launching the inaugural Iron Games Ireland to raise funds for the Irish Haemochromatosis Association (IHA).

The three men suffer from the condition  - too much iron in the body - and came together in Croke Park to launch the Perpetual Iron Games Cup in Gaelic Football in Croke Park on Friday, 20th September and in the Iron Games Golf tournament at the K Club on Friday, 27th September this year. 

The Construction Industry Federation has partnered with the Irish Haemochromatosis Association to bring the innovative Iron Games to Ireland for the first time.  The Iron Games Tournament in Ireland will raise essential funds to assist in its life-saving work and help promote health, wellness and engagement amongst construction company staff. 
The two tournaments in Gaelic football and golf will raise vital funds for the Irish Haemochromatosis Association (IHA), a registered patient advocacy charity, largely volunteer-led, working for over 20 years to raise awareness of the iron overload disorder – the most common genetic condition in Ireland. 
Haemochromatosis is a genetic disorder where an excessive amount of iron is absorbed from the diet into vital organs such as the liver, heart and lungs and body tissue, in other words ‘iron overload’. It is a potentially fatal condition if not detected early and is the most common genetic disorder in Ireland, where 1 in 5 people are carriers i.e. 20 per cent of the population and 1 in 83 people are predisposed to develop it.

Barney Rock, David Beggy and Jack O'Shea.

At the launch of the Iron Games 2019 in Ireland in aid of the IHA, Gaelic football All-Star, David Beggy, who has volunteered with the IHA for over 15 years chaired a Q&A with fellow GAA stars Barney Rock and Jack O’Shea.  David will also referee the Iron Games 2019 in Croke Park tomorrow and said: "The Iron Games is coming to Ireland this year for the very first time and my job on and off the pitch is to raise awareness of haemochromatosis and encourage people to get checked by their GP if they show early symptoms of iron overload.”

Slane referee David Gough will be back in Croke Park to do some whistle-blowing as well.

Margaret Mullett, Chairperson of the IHA, said:  “Early diagnosis of Haemochromatosis is crucial as it is more common in Ireland than anywhere in the world. It is essential that we do all in our power to ensure that no Irish person goes undiagnosed or is left untreated.” 
Professor Suzanne Norris, Consultant in Hepatology and Gastroenterology at St. James’s Hospital concluded;  “Ill-health from haemochromatosis and the development of serious complications such as cirrhosis can be prevented by simple treatment. Life expectancy in treated non-cirrhotic patients is normal. Early diagnosis is therefore critical, and haemochromatosis is an ideal condition to consider for population screening in Ireland.”
Among some of the well-known construction companies who will be participating and supporting the event through donations are BAM, Toureen, Mastersons/Getjar, Dornan Engineering, Kiernan Structural Steel Ltd., Tide Construction, Oliver Connell, Gael Form Ltd, King & Moffatt, Winthrop Engineering, McGarrell Reilly, Oran Precast and Suir Engineering.  

The Irish Haemochromatosis Association encourages people who are suffering from symptoms such as chronic fatigue, joint pain, diabetes, irregular heartbeat and enlarged liver to consult their GP. A simple blood test to check a patient’s iron status can confirm or rule out iron overload. Once diagnosed, treatment is simple with regular removal of blood, similar to donating blood. Early detection is vital for sufferers to avoid organ damage and achieve a normal life expectancy. 
Plans are already afoot to stage the games in 2020, when all companies will be invited to participate and make a real difference to the treatments for this disorder.  Participants can sign up or donate on www.haemochromatosis-ir.com

 

What is haemochromatosis?

Haemochromatosis is a hereditary condition, in which excessive amounts of iron are absorbed from the diet. This iron is deposited in various organs, mainly in the liver and also in the pancreas, heart, anterior pituitary and joints.
Early diagnosis is vital as without treatment Haemochromatosis can cause premature death.
Haemochromatosis results from a fault in a gene known as the HFE gene. It is said to be an autosomal recessive disorder which means that you must get a copy of the gene from both parents for the disorder to develop.
Haemochromatosis is more common in Ireland than anywhere else in the world. One in 83 Irish people carry two copies of the HFE gene and are predisposed to develop iron overload. One in five Irish people carry one copy of the gene and are said to be carriers.
 

What are the symptoms?
Iron builds up slowly so symptoms may not appear until age 30 or 40. These symptoms include:
•         Unexplained weakness or fatigue
•         Abdominal pain
•         Diminished sex drive or impotence
•         Arthritis particularly if it occurs in the first and second knuckles or/and the ankles
•         Diabetes
•         Liver disorders
•         Discolouration of or bronzing of skin
•         Mood swings and irritability
•         Abnormal heart rhythm
The early biochemical signs of haemochromatosis tend to be:
•         Increased serum ferritin and transferrin saturation; and
•         Abnormal liver function tests (LFTs).
Most of these symptoms can be found in other disorders but when arthritis affects the first two finger joints, it is highly suggestive of haemochromatosis.
Most individuals with haemochromatosis will develop at least one or two of the above symptoms, although possibly in a mild form.
When undetected and untreated, iron overload can result in severe organ damage and premature death.
What are the treatments available?
A simple and highly effective treatment for genetic haemochromatosis consists of regular removal of blood, known as venesection or phlebotomy. The procedure is the same as for blood donors; every pint of blood removed contains about a quarter of a gram of iron.
After venesection, the body then uses some of the excess stored iron to make new red blood cells.
Initially, venesection will usually be performed once a week, depending on the degree of iron overload. Treatment may need to be continued at this frequency for up to two years, occasionally longer. During the course of treatment, serum ferritin levels are monitored, indicating the size of the remaining iron stores. Treatment will usually continue until the serum ferritin level indicates minimal iron stores.
This is not the end of the story however; excess iron will continue to be absorbed so the individual will need occasional venesections, referred to as maintenance therapy. Typically, this means every 3 to 4 months, for the rest of his or her life. Monitoring of transferrin saturation and serum ferritin is used to assess whether venesection is required more or less often.
Chelation therapy is also used in the treatment of haemochromatosis, where medication is prescribed to reduce the amount of iron in the body. This therapy is only used if regular venesections cannot be undertaken to remove blood.