Her mother, Samantha, was “overjoyed” to learn that her kidney matched that of little Ella.
A mother has said her family's “life has changed for the better” after donating one of her kidneys to her young daughter. Speaking at the launch of Organ Donor Awareness Week, Samantha O'Reilly said she was overjoyed when she found out she was the perfect fit for Ella, who was just four years old when she underwent the transplant.
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Irish Kidney Association
The Irish Kidney Association (IKA) said it expected more than 50 living kidney donations to take place in Ireland this year, which marks 60 years of organ transplantation in Ireland. O'Reilly said Ella, now 9, was diagnosed with cancer in both kidneys when she was four months old. She underwent chemotherapy and ended up having both kidneys removed at various stages.
“So by the time she was three years old, she started dialysis at home and she was put on very strict fluid and dietary restrictions,” O'Reilly told Ireland's Daily Mail. Ta. “After chemotherapy, I had to wait two years to start the transplant process, and that was the transplant waiting list.
“About a week after she was on the list, I found out I was the candidate. I was ecstatic. I actually sold forget-me-nots on the street during Organ Donor Week in 2019. When I found out what had happened, I almost screamed at everyone passing by.
Ms O'Reilly, a former leisure center manager from Drogheda, County Louth, said further tests followed to ensure she was eligible as a donor. The pair were ultimately given a transplant date of July 1, 2019.
Today is exactly 4 years after Ella's diagnosis.
“She was on Temple Street and I was on Beaumont, so they shined a blue light at my kidneys at her,” O'Reilly recalled. “Since then, things have been going great. She's grown up, grown up, gotten into dance, played Gaelic with the girls, played track and field, and is in second grade at school.”
It took O'Reilly herself six months to regain full mobility, but she said they haven't looked back.
Since the transplant, life has completely changed for Ella's family, including her two siblings. O'Reilly explained, “Shortly after my transplant, I had to go back to the bubble for a long time due to the spread of the coronavirus, but now I'm back and I'm enjoying my vacation and living a fulfilling life.'' did. And doing normal kid things…that's freedom. ”
She encouraged others to become donors, saying: “Words can't describe the difference a donor makes in a person's life, but you can't underestimate how much of a difference it makes to an entire family.” he said.
“The whole life of not only the recipient of an organ or kidney, but their family and their supporters, has been changed for the better. It was wonderful to be able to donate to her, but when I go… Please take all my organs”, take them all! To her, living donors are “superheroes.”
Ms O'Reilly said she was also pleased that an opt-in system had been introduced to make organ donation easier. The new system is part of the Human Tissue Bill signed by President Michael D. Higgins on February 28 of this year.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the aim was to start registering people who do not want to become donors later this year, once the necessary regulations are in place. Carol Moore, chief executive of IKA, said: “In cases like this, families will not be able to be contacted if an untimely death occurs.”
Anyone who does not opt out is considered a potential organ donor, but the final decision rests with the family. The legislation will also allow for the first time in Ireland altruistic living donations where the donor does not know the recipient. ”
Dr Catherine Motherway, clinical lead for organ donation and transplantation at the HSE, said: “Organ donors are publicly celebrated and cherished each year during Organ Donation Awareness Week.” We tell stories of lives saved, of the joy of a new start, of being able to work, play sports, raise children, and, in many cases, of the relief and joy of being able to breathe easier without machines. listen.
Although this gift brings sadness as we learn that another family member has lost their life, I know that the donor is cherished in each transplant recipient's heart every day.
“For the families of deceased donors, the decision to donate their loved one's organs brings hope and comfort in the midst of grief, and a sense of pride and joy in their loved one's life and final act of immense kindness. We know what it will bring.
At any given time, around 600 people are on the waiting list in Ireland for organ transplants, including hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys and pancreas.
A total of 282 transplants were carried out in Ireland last year, 32 more than in 2022. This is thanks to the generosity of the families of 95 deceased and 30 living donors.
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