PLAY Health and Fitness

A great article about my Dad and others competing in the Transplant Games coming up and the need for more organ donors...

Kidney transplant recipient Brian Donovan helped establish the inaugural Australian Transplant Games in Melbourne in 1988 (the first World Transplant Games were held in England a decade earlier).
The 78-year-old was born with a rare birth defect that meant doctors thought he would not survive childhood.
He spent eight years of his 20s on dialysis – a mentally and physically gruelling process that left him with severe bone disease – all while working full-time and raising a young family.
Donovan recalls his determination to maintain his independence while working in Kmart’s advertising department.

“After work I’d count the electricity poles. I had nine of them to go to the bus stop, and I’d lean up against the first one and my aim was to get to the next one. And that’s how I got on the bus,” he says.
Finally, in 1982, his younger brother Ray, who died last year, was approved to donate a kidney.
“As soon as I had my transplant I was jumping up and down in bed,” says Donovan.
“I couldn’t walk anywhere – I had to run. Even going back to work, I never used the lift. I used to run up the stairs; I had so much energy again.”
Pauline, Donovan’s wife of 55 years, says the transplant “was like having a new life”.
“Before, everything revolved around the kidney machine. And after, we weren’t stuck to it any more. We could take our daughters places and do all sorts of things,” she says.

In the almost five decades since his transplant, Donovan has competed around the world in tennis and table tennis, picking up bronze, silver and gold medals in the Australian and international games.
But the real glory, he says, should go to his wife.
“Pauline should win a medal for looking after me. Sometimes I find it very difficult to explain how much she did for me,” says Donovan, who cites walking his daughters down the aisle and watching them become parents themselves among his proudest moments.

In his later years, Donovan has traded tennis for bowls, and will compete alongside a 10-year-old kidney transplant recipient next month. Age has yet to subdue his ferocious spirit.
“Bowls is pretty bloody competitive, there’s a will to win even in social competitions,” he says.

The spirit of the games is a testament to the importance of organ donation, and the work still to be done.
In 2025, 1438 Australians received a life-saving transplant from 557 deceased donors – the highest number of donors on record.
Still, the consent rate remains low at 53 per cent, lagging behind its 2018 peak of 60 per cent – despite the fact surveys consistently show the majority of Australians support organ donation.
About 80 per cent of families agree to donation in the hospital if they know their loved one is registered, dropping to about 40 per cent when they don’t know if their family member wanted to be a donor.
Lucinda Barry, chief executive of DonateLife (run by the government’s Organ and Tissue Authority), encourages anyone who supports donation to register and have a conversation with their family about this decision.

Read the whole article here : https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/bloody-competitive-welcome-to-the-olympics-for-the-organ-transplant-world-20260728-p60j9v.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawUATo5wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6kdCHowit1WizpPSa3RWWNlfwLhSGnUqH_rIUJw4NdcaVXE8xou4M4iLTECg_aem_cdtaeyXLcfc0aY45oba3vA

We have the most incredible people who come to PLAY.
Here is the premiere of Matrescence, a documentary created in part by our gorgeous ray of sunshine, clairetonti ❤️❤️❤️
I've seen the trailer and ​it is raw, breathtaking, and captures the profound transformation of becoming a mother in a way that feels so deeply validating. Claire has poured her heart into this, and it shines through every single frame.
​Join us in celebrating this absolute masterpiece. We couldn't be prouder of you, Claire! 🎬✨

Here is what I know:

- Current WWCC legislation states that because Richard Irving was hired as a CEO (a role classified as having incidental contact with children only) he was not required to have a WWCC, due to this loophole, the Wildcats and/or Irving may face no accountability action.
While the board and regulatory loopholes claim the CEO role involved 'incidental contact with children only ', Irving actively addressed a room junior rep players to lecture them on club conduct. Notably, these players were in the exact age bracket of the “girl” involved in his child grooming conviction, exposing the total absurdity of claiming his role was isolated from youth participants

- When the whistleblower came forward revealing that Richard Frank Irving was named in court proceedings, Basketball Victoria and the Eltham Wildcats claimed they could not confirm if it was the same person. They asked him, he denied it, so that was that.
This defense is insultingly thin.

- So while Irving only had a Volunteer WWCC, which he DID NOT list Eltham Wildcats under his list of organisations he volunteered at, any individual or organisation could have looked him up to note that his WWCC was revoked.
Had either Eltham Wildcats or Basketball Victoria bothered to perform the most basic administrative check, cross-referencing his Working with Children Check (WWCC), it would have immediately shown that is was him.
Choosing not to look, or choosing to accept his verbal denial at face value, was a deliberate choice to prioritise plausible deniability over child safety.

- In Victoria, the moment any allegation or criminal charge involving child sexual offences or child safety arises within an organisation, even if there is initial uncertainty about identity, immediate safeguarding actions must be taken to prioritise child safety above all else.
Under Victorian law, child safety frameworks are design-led around the principle of "precautionary action," meaning an organisation or individual must not wait for a court verdict, a police investigation to conclude, or absolute certainty before taking protective measures.

- Basketball Victoria and Wildcats have both hired a PR Firm to, well, once again, look after their reputation.

- I find it disgusting that in their most recent email to the community today updating families on the child safety review, management appallingly chose to mix serious safeguarding news with routine celebrations of NBL1 scores and coaching staff, demonstrating a complete lack of sensitivity and respect for the issue.

- According to a statement from Eltham Wildcats, President Peter Meehan has voluntarily stepped down from the role of President while this review process is being undertaken.
Temporarily.
THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH Eltham Wildcats Basketball Club

I understand that many members of the Eltham Wildcats Basketball Club community still haven't received this latest statement. I will post it in the comments below.

​While an apology and an independent inquiry are necessary steps, they should have been issued on Friday, not four days later. It is also telling that Peter Meehan hasn't personally taken accountability, leaving the Vice President to step in.

​I know some are calling for families and players to walk away from the club. But as a woman and a mother, I want to teach my daughters to stand up for what is right, not run away. Why should the kids suffer for the actions of a pa******le and the committee's inaction. We should be showing our children not to let people get away with abusing their power and using institutional loyalty or plain ignorance as an excuse to ignore wrongdoings; teach them to speak up, even when it's uncomfortable or inconvenient.

​What Richard Irving did was disgusting. How the committee neglected to inform the community was unacceptable, and asking us to stay silent was a gross failure of their duty of care. The whole commitee needs to be stood down, not just one person for a brief period of time.

​In Victoria, the moment any allegation or criminal charge involving child sexual offences or child safety arises within an organisation, even if there is initial uncertainty about identity, immediate safeguarding actions must be taken to prioritise child safety above all else.

Under Victorian law, child safety frameworks are design-led around the principle of "precautionary action," meaning an organisation or individual must not wait for a court verdict, a police investigation to conclude, or absolute certainty before taking protective measures.

The committee had multiple opportunities over the past 18 months to put the wellbeing of children above that of an individual and the reputation of the club. It shouldn't have taken four days of public outcry, and it shouldn't have taken the vice president, to finally step up and apologise.

​If you have information that could help the independent inquiry, please speak up. We must break this cycle once and for all.

​I ask the entire basketball community to wear blue armbands to support victims, normalise vigilance, and demand real, lasting change. 💙

So incredibly proud of our girls.
Today, these girls were forced to carry a heavy burden that no young athletes should ever have to face, sparking a conversation about forfeiting the game. ​Instead of walking away, they chose to take a stand.

They wore blue armbands, the colour for child abuse awareness, to send a silent but deafening message to the Eltham Wildcats executive. After the horrific details emerged of a CEO convicted of child grooming, the club’s decision to hide behind legalities and tell members he resigned for "personal reasons" is completely unacceptable.

​Our girls showed more integrity, courage, and leadership today than the entire executive committee has over the last 18 months.

​We will not be told to "discourage discussion" to protect the club's reputation. Our priority is protecting children.

Do better Eltham Wildcats Basketball Club

​

I not only have the greatest community, I also have the best team.
Tonight, while Kirtley was teaching a class, an elderly lady came and asked her for directions to the Lower Plenty Pub, she was a little lost and confused.
Kirtley walked her across the street and gave her directions. Then after the class, she drove to the Lower Plenty Pub, searched room to room until she found her to make sure she arrived safely.
I'm surrounded by beautiful humans.

Announcing Our FOCUS Challenge Winner: Lara! 🎉
Community, join us in giving a massive round of applause to the absolute powerhouse that is Lara, the overall winner of our 6-week FOCUS Challenge! 🏆✨

If you want to know what true body recomposition looks like, look no further than these incredible photos Lara shared.

"2019 dress in 2026... same scale weight. Different Lara x"

Lara has made spectacular, long-term health changes over her journey with us here at PLAY, but what she accomplished in just 42 days during this challenge is next-level. This is the ultimate proof that the scale only tells a fraction of the story. By shifting the focus away from generic restriction and putting it squarely onto building strength, lifting heavy, and eating with purpose, Lara completely transformed her body shape.

In fact, Lara was fully planning on wearing this stunning black dress to an upcoming event. But thanks to her incredible hard work, consistency, and dedication, her body shape has shifted so significantly that the dress is officially too big, she's had to go out shopping for a brand-new one! Now that is what we call a high-quality fitness problem to have. 👗🔥

The 6-Week Numbers Don't Lie 📐
While the scale dropped a steady 3.5kg, the tape measure tells the real story of her lean-muscle focus. Look at these phenomenal 6-week metric drops:

Waist: Down 7cm

Belly Button: Down a massive 9cm!

Hips: Down 4.5cm

Chest: Down 2cm

The Anatomy of a Winning Mindset 📊
Lara didn't just participate in this challenge; she treated her health like an exciting science experiment. As a self-confessed challenge veteran, with an archive of 5 previous challenge books at home, Lara knew exactly what it took to succeed: preparation, tracking, and consistency.

Instead of letting herself get overwhelmed and bored, she got creative. She built a sustainable, high-protein routine by combining classic challenge favorites, Thermomix recipes, and macro-friendly meals from her favorite fitness creators.

Lara showed us exactly how it's done with this ultimate Saturday night flex:

"So here I am. Raging on a Saturday night. My plan is done. All my meals and snacks are already logged in MyFitnessPal. My click & collect order is submitted. Classes are booked... Fun having my partner in crime invested in our shenanigans makes it much better!"

That level of weekend preparation set the tone for some incredible consistency:

Gym Consistency: 5 out of 5 days smashed week after week! 🏋️‍♀️

Daily Movement: Crushing her 10,000 steps nearly every single day (with some days a casual 19,702-step day thrown in!).

Nutritional Precision: Dialing in her protein targets to feed lean muscle mass and eating for true purpose.

Formed for Life: The Journey Continues ♾️
The absolute best part of Lara’s win? She isn't stopping. The 6-week challenge might be over, but the habits she has locked in, the meal planning, the tracking, the targeted strength training, and the prioritized sleep, are officially part of her lifestyle. She didn't just finish a challenge; she upgraded her baseline routine for good.

As Lara says:

"We will adapt our goals now to achieve sustainability and keep on going. I didn’t find it hard. And it’s been really rewarding to set out wanting to address body composition and see the gains. I’ve loved how data-informed this challenge has been."

Why We Do This 🤍
Lara left us with a note that completely encapsulates the heart and soul of our studio culture:

"Thanks for providing me with a community that makes me a better mum."

Lara, thank you for inspiring every single one of us with your commitment, your data-driven approach to health, and your beautiful family-first mindset. You showed up, you did the prep work, you adjusted your lifestyle for better recovery, and you earned every bit of this win.

Congratulations Lara, keep an eye on your inbox for your $500 Luxury Escapes Voucher x

Let's shower Lara with some well-deserved love in the comments below! 👇🥳💪