James Tracy's freezing fundraiser for PKRF

Pic: Leinster v Ospreys Programme.

Leinster Rugby Senior stalwart James Tracy has been getting strong support for his 'Freezbury' challenge in aid of the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, dipping into the cold winter Irish Sea on every day through this month, writes Brian Byrne.

But it hasn't just been a quick daily dip and dash for the fund established by Kilcullen kidney transplant athlete James Nolan, Tracy has been lingering in the cold longer each session, for a minute for each number in the date. That means his stay in the storm-topped waves today will be 20 minutes long.

Tracy, born in Kill and who made his Leinster debut in 2012, was prompted to fundraise for the PKRF charity because his sister suffered kidney failure following rare complications from medicine to suppress her MS. The rugby player had a distant family connection to the work of PKRF, which he details in a profile in the Leinster v Ospreys official programme for the game played yesterday in the RDS Arena.

Noting that a relation is married to James Nolan's sister Catherine, who donated a kidney to James when he was 20, Tracy talks about the charity James subsequently founded. "Not a cent from it is used for anything apart from kidney research," the Leinster hooker is quoted in the article by Ryan Corry, "Looking after people, buying dialysis machines for people who need them so they can have a better quality of life. And then looking after people who are going through transplants or kidney failure or anything to do with kidney problems."

Tracy has had support from some team-mates while taking his fundraising dips, including Ryan Baird, Dan Leavy, Ferg McFadden, Scott Penny, Josh Murphy and James Lowe. At the time of this writing, the fund  has topped €8,000 with another eight days to go ... or a total left from after today of 196 minutes in the Irish Sea. "I have done a few days on my own, but it's really been an eye-opener of how lucky I am to have friends, family and team-mates who are all reaching out to me ... it'll all help raise awareness."

You can help James Tracy reach his fundraising target here (without necessarily getting into the sea yourself!). 

Pic: Leinster v Ospreys Programme.

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