Sharon Shannon said her partner's life was “narrowly saved” by a liver transplant and urged people to learn about the importance of organ donation.
The accordion singer said she was “forever grateful” to the organ donors who saved the lives of her partner Jimmy Healy and four others.
Sharon and Jimmy took to Facebook to share “horrifying” photos of Jimmy in hospital awaiting a liver transplant, and urged their followers to carry their organ donor cards.
“Many people die while waiting. [for an organ donor]Because there just aren't enough of them,” Sharon wrote.
“If you don't have a donor card, make sure you communicate your preference to those close to you if you would like to be a donor in the event of a tragedy.”
Jimmy revealed that he went through seven months of “chronic rejection” before his body accepted his new organs.
“Thankfully, everything started to fall into place in mid-January of this year, and five months later, it's still going strong,” he wrote.
Speaking about the “horrifying” photos he and Sharon shared when Jimmy was very ill, he wrote: “The reason we are posting these photos is so people can see the before and after of people on the transplant list and raise awareness of how important organ donation is.”
Jimmy also thanked the staff at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, and Sharon said: “On the occasion of the first anniversary of Jimmy being an organ donor, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude and condolences to his grieving family.”
The trad star was in a relationship with Jimmy, the brother of her late long-term partner Leo, for seven years.
