Galway Woman spoke about the life-changing effects of simultaneous kidney and pancreatic transplants she received in 2024.
Alceina O'Brien, a 51-year-old retired nurse and mother of 16-year-old Rhianna, lived with type 1 diabetes for nearly 30 years last year and endured dialysis for five years before undergoing a double transplant at St. Vincent University Hospital.
“I am grateful for two great organs,” she said in the release this week. “My incredible donor has led me to undergo a precious simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant that changed my life.”
While completing her nurse training, Arceina, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 23, faced the progressive sacrifice of her health disease over the years. At 45, she developed kidney failure and began hemodialysis. This is a tough routine that has disrupt every aspect of her life.
“I had to give up on work due to extreme fatigue,” she recalled. “Dialysis kept me alive, but it uprooted my personal, home and work life.”
While receiving treatment three days a week, Alceina managed strict kidney and diabetic diet, fluid restriction, and dealt with the physical and emotional sacrifices of long-term illness. Counseling support from the Irish Kidney Association helped her navigate the mental burden of the experience. She described it as one of limitations, fear, anxiety, sadness, and frustration.
Despite the difficulties, she continued to focus on her hopes of getting a transplant. “I started work-ups on my transplants as soon as possible, and it kept me focused on the possibility of getting a new gift in my life.”
After five years of long on the transplant waiting list, she finally got a call.
“When I was told to head to St. Vincent for the transplant, I was overwhelmed by mixed emotions. I felt hope and relief, but I felt a deep sadness for my family, who had just lost a loved one. Their selfless decisions are something I carry forever.”
The transplant was successful and the recovery was prompt with the support of her partner Simon, her family and the medical team. Today, Alceina has not suffered from diabetes for the first time in 28 years, so it does not require dialysis or medical devices such as insulin pumps or glucose sensors.
“My life has completely changed,” she said. “I have more energy and freedom, and I can enjoy simple things like spending time on vacation with my daughter. Rhianna shared good times and bad things with me. She has grown into a strong, kind young woman who understands the true value of organ donation.”
Having experienced both sides of health care as a nurse and patient, Arceina now feels forced to share her story, hoping to encourage others to consider becoming organ donors.
“A lot of people have put their hands up to help me. Now it's my turn to reach out and reach out to help others,” she said. “An organ donation is truly a gift of life. I leave you with a heart full of gratitude. Thank you.”
Organ Donor Awareness Week 2025 (May 10-17) officially launched at a Dublin Mansion House on Tuesday, prompting a powerful nationwide action that “there is no doubt about your loved one.”
With support from the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) from the office of HSE's Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI), the campaign highlights the life-changing impact of organ donation on transplants and the role families play in ensuring your wishes. www.ika.ie/donorweek/ Currently, over 600 people have adopted a waiting list for transplants for organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas, with over 500 of them waiting for a kidney transplant alone, making the need for a nationwide conversation about organ donation more urgent than ever.
