A farm family awaiting a kidney transplant is calling on families to make a new year resolution of having organ donation discussions.
Tomás O’Dowd (6), whose family have a sheep and cattle farm at Coumeenole, Dunquin, overlooking the Blasket Islands, along with Cíalan Walsh (3) from Waterville and their mothers, Amanda and Fiona, recently gathered at the century-old, 100ft-high ‘Tree of Light’ on the grounds of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney along with Teresa Looney from the Kerry branch of the Irish Kidney Association.
They were highlighting the Irish Kidney Association’s annual Christmas radio advertising campaign which encourages families to discuss organ donation and also urging people to make it a new year resolution.
They made the resolution call in support of the families of over 500 people who are currently on transplant waiting lists for heart, lungs, liver, kidney and pancreas transplants.
‘Gift of life’
Tomás has been receiving nightly dialysis for nine-and-a-half hours at a time for over two years while Cíalan, who was born with only one partially functioning kidney, is expected to commence dialysis treatment soon as his kidney function is low and his health, energy levels and weight are declining.
Broadcaster and the Irish Kidney Association organ donor awareness ambassador, Ray D’Arcy, said that we are three times more likely to need an organ transplant than to be a deceased organ donor.
The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to have the chat about organ donation with your family. Organ donation is a gift of life.
“Those who are left behind after a tragic death are the ones who decide if the deceased’s organs will save lives. It is a huge decision at a difficult time that will be much easier to make if you’ve had the chat. So please have the chat and save lives in the future.”
Amanda O’Dowd appealed to people to make organ donation discussion a new year resolution.
“Tomás is our beautiful miracle child. He was given little chance of survival in an early pregnancy scan but yet he defied the odds.
“He is a happy child despite his health setbacks and being hooked up to a dialysis machine every night. He started school last September and really loves it. He helps out with small jobs on the farm such as feeding the sheep and the cattle.
“We are hoping that he will be accepted on the transplant waiting list early next year and when this happens several family members want to be tested for living donation.
We hope that one of us will be a suitable match but, if not, our only hope might be that another family, at a time of huge sadness, have the foresight and compassion to think of others and consider organ donation.
“Tomás asked Santa to bring him an electric car for Christmas. We hope that by Christmas 2020, he will have good health after having a successful kidney transplant operation.”
‘Rapidly declined’
Mother of five Fiona Walsh, a native of Trim, Co. Meath, said that it came as a huge shock when they learned that Cíalan, their youngest child, had only one partially functioning kidney but that it was expected that transplantation would not have to be considered until he was eight or nine years old.
“However, in recent months his kidney function has rapidly declined and it is expected that he will commence dialysis treatment in the near future. Once he is put on a waiting list for a transplant myself and his father Jonathan will be assessed for living donation and hopefully one of us will be a suitable match.
“Cíalan’s hospital visits are becoming more frequent due to his declining health. He is losing weight and now weighs around 12 kilos, which is very low for a three year-old. Our family hope to help raise awareness about children and adults like Cíalan who have organ failure and stress the importance of organ donation.”
Both Amanda and Fiona were keen to acknowledge their gratitude for the care their sons receive from consultant Mary Waldron and other medical and nursing staff at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
For organ donor cards, freetext DONOR to 50050, or visit the website: www.ika.ie.
Your wishes to be an organ donor can also be included on the new format driving licence which is represented by code 115. You can also download the free digital organ donor card app to your phone.