Having launched an appeal to find a life-saving bone marrow match for Paul Giblin, the response across the country has been staggering. Giblin briefly rode on the Irish paracycling team, competing in the World Championships in Manchester in 2009 where he was pilot on a tandem with Andrew Fitzgerald.
When news broke last week that Paul Giblin, who has represented Ireland at cycling and rowing, needed a bone marrow transplant to save his life, the response from stickybottle readers was enormous.
And it has been followed by a rush to Giblin’s local clinic by people seeking to be checked to see if they are a match for him.
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service which runs the Galway clinic in question said around 100 people had presented for testing specifically in response to the appeal for Giblin.
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And those close to him have told stickybottle they believe at least 300 people have presented at clinics nationwide.
The 31-year-old Army officer, who got married last weekend, has been battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma since early 2012.
In action in the green of Ireland as a paracycling pilot, having turned to the sport after a successful rowing career.
He has undergone radiotherapy and chemotherapy and the stem cell transplant process.
Giblin’s medical team has been looking to find a match on the ‘global registry’; the pool from which all bone marrow donations are drawn.
Finding a match is crucial because it is the option that can cure him. The other treatments he has had to date have simply slowed and contained his condition.
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Last week Giblin, backed by a team of friends and well wishers, went all out with an online campaign to encourage people to present to donate bone marrow.
They were hoping a match could be found for Giblin, but also that the process of donating bone marrow onto the global registry for others in need would get some much needed publicity.
Lifting one of seven national rowing titles back in 2010; Giblin is holding the cup on the left of picture.
And now one week on, as well as the estimated 100 who presented at the Galway clinic for testing, numbers have also been up around the country thanks to the awareness-raising efforts.
The samples taken are still being tested to see if they are a match for Giblin; a development that would literally be a lifeline for him.
Giblin, who is stationed at Dún Uí Mhaolaíosa, Galway, with the Army, rowed in some of the biggest races in the world including the World Championships.
He has won seven national rowing titles, completed at the world famous Henley Royal Regatta and is currently training at team at NUI Galway, where he studied engineering as a young officer.
After rowing, he turned to cycling, completing the An Post Rás in 2010 and spending time as a pilot on the Irish paracycling team.
He rode the World Paracycling Championships in Manchester in 2009 and at home competed on the road race scene in the colours of Galway Bay CC.
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