Transplant recipient Val Kennedy, from Laois-Offaly, is supporting organ donation at the national launch of Organ Donation Awareness Week 2023.
Val, who now lives in Portarlington but was originally from Tullamore, underwent a single lung transplant at the Matter Hospital in 2016 and now represents the Irish Pulmonary Fibrosis Association (ILFA) at the national launch of the annual campaign, held by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly at the Mansion House in Dublin.
Organ Donation Awareness Week runs from May 20 to 27. The week is organised by the Irish Kidney Association in collaboration with the Irish Organ Donation and Transplant Association.
Val was identified as a candidate for a transplant after being diagnosed with an irreversible lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
Within six weeks of falling ill, his lungs had failed and he became dependent on round-the-clock oxygen.
Val, now in her 60s, originally from Clon Minch Road, Tullamore, but now lives in Railway Mews, Portarlington, said in 2019: “My donor saved my life and I will be forever indebted to him.”
The retired businessman ran Tullamore Financial Services for more than 20 years. For more information, see the link below.
This year's Organ Donation Awareness Week campaign is structured around the theme #LeaveNoDoubt – “Don't leave your loved ones in doubt!”
Organizers say their main message is that the public can play a role in supporting organ donation for transplant by leaving no doubt for families about their donation wishes.
IKA says making your wishes known while you're healthy can make it a less stressful decision for families when they are asked if they would consider being a potential organ donor.
Those who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to share their wishes with their loved ones and to carry an organ donor card, have code 115 written on their driver's licence or install the “Digital Organ Donor Card” app on their smartphones so they can always remember their decision.
Organ donor cards can be requested by visiting the IKA website at www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card, calling the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or by free texting the word DONOR to 50050.
An Post is supporting this year's Organ Donation Awareness Week campaign by displaying stock of organ donation cards in 350 of its largest and busiest stores, as well as campaign posters on digital screens in 295 major post offices.
The Irish Pharmacy Guild is supporting the campaign and several pharmacy chains are also helping to spread the message about the importance of organ donation by displaying campaign posters and making organ donation cards available. Campaign posters will be sponsored by Clear Channel and will appear on outdoor advertising poster sites in shopping centres.
RTÉ's Fair City will also have the posters on set for some episodes airing during Organ Donation Awareness Week.
Carol Moore, chief executive of the Irish Kidney Association, said: “Organ donation is a wonderful example of positive civic action and the Irish Kidney Association is using the opportunity of Organ Donation Awareness Week to encourage everyone to share their wishes.”
“Patients on the transplant waiting list live with the hope that they will receive an organ, and the strong public show of support by requesting an organ donor card strengthens that hope. The uncertainty that comes with waiting for an organ transplant is difficult because the future is unknown and you know that another family is grieving the loss of a loved one in order to receive the gift of life,” she said.
Beaumont Hospital saw an increase in the number of kidney transplants performed last year: 163 kidney transplants were performed, 33 of which were from living kidney donors.
There are 2,466 people in Ireland with end-stage renal disease receiving dialysis treatment, but only around a fifth of these are on the transplant waiting list.
The CEO of the Irish Kidney Association was pleased with these figures.
“Last year's end-of-year transplant figures give encouragement and hope to those on transplant waiting lists, as transplant activity increased with 250 organ transplants performed in 2022, 44 more transplants than in 2021. The record number of 81 transplants in the first three months of the year gives further encouragement that we can return to or exceed the five-year average (2015-2019) of transplant activity before the pandemic.”
“As we mark the 10th anniversary of the introduction of Code 115 on driving licences this year, it is heartening to see that without any advertising whatsoever, over 1.45 million drivers – almost half of all driving licence holders – have indicated their intention to donate their organs.”
“We look forward to seeing the Human Tissue Bill become law, which would enable altruistic living kidney donation in Ireland where the donor does not know the recipient. Currently such donors must travel to Northern Ireland or overseas, outside our jurisdiction, to make an altruistic kidney donation,” she said.
Dr Catherine Motherway is the HSE's Irish Organ Donation and Transplant Clinical Lead. She spoke about the impact of organ donation.
“Organ donation saves and changes the lives of transplant recipients in Ireland. The gift of life given by both living and deceased donors is publicly celebrated and cherished each year during Organ Donation Awareness Week. This year marks 60 years of organ donation and transplantation in Ireland. During this time, advances in transplant medicine and surgery have meant we can give hope to many more patients suffering from vital organ failure.”
On this occasion, we take a moment to remember how this would not have been possible without the selfless generosity of organ donors and their families. We remember the families of deceased organ donors who, in the midst of their grief, faced with the sudden loss of a loved one, have compassion for others in need. Our living organ donors give generously of themselves to help their loved ones.
“This week I want to encourage everyone to communicate your wishes to their families – please have that conversation. For families, when the donor's wishes are known, honoring and respecting those wishes is an act of love that can bring comfort during a very dark and difficult time. We are grateful and honored to all donors as we strive to care for donors and their families and as a transplant community.” See below the photo for more details.
Front row: Professor Emer Joyce, Transplant Cardiologist at Matter Hospital, Dr Catherine Motherway, Clinical Lead for the Organ Transplant Institute of Ireland (ODTI), Robert McCutcheon, Chairman of the Irish Heart and Lung Transplant Association, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, CF Ireland CEO Philip Watt, Carol Moore, Chief Executive of the Irish Kidney Association (IKA), Eddie Flood, IKA National Honorary President, and Senator Mark Daly.
Back row: Professor Jim Egan, Director of ODTI, Eddie Cassidy, Chair of the Irish Pulmonary Fibrosis Association (ILFA), Val Kennedy from ILFA, Gemma O'Dowd from ILFA and Christopher Neilson from the Irish Liver Trust.
Launching the campaign, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “Organ donation is the gift of a second chance at life. Raising awareness of the importance of organ donation is a key part of the greater effort we must make to ensure more people have this second chance.”
“This year has seen a record number of transplants, with 81 transplant procedures taking place in the first three months of the year. As Minister for Health, I am committed to increasing organ donation and transplant rates in Ireland and making organ donation the 'norm' wherever possible. The enactment of the Human Tissue Bill will be an important step towards achieving this,” the Minister said.
According to the IKA, at any one time there are between 550 and 600 people on the waiting list for organ transplants in Ireland – including heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas. In 2022, 250 organ transplant operations were carried out in Ireland (44 more than in 2021).
The organisation said last year's work would not have been possible without the generosity of the families of 86 deceased donors and 33 live kidney donors during extremely challenging times due to COVID-19.In 2022, 51 liver transplants and eight pancreas transplants were performed at St Vincent's Hospital, while 10 heart transplants and 18 lung transplants were performed at the Mater Hospital.
According to the IKA, 2023 marks several important milestones for organ donation and transplantation in Ireland.
60th anniversary of Ireland's first kidney transplant, performed on 21-year-old Ted Tobin from Dublin at the old St Vincent's Hospital in St Stephen's Green.
· 51st anniversary of Ireland's first living donor kidney transplant at Jervis Street Hospital
45 years since the Irish Kidney Association introduced the kidney donor card (the same year the Association was founded in 1978), which has evolved into the multi-organ donor card.
38 years since Ireland's first heart transplant was performed at the Matter University Hospital
31 years of pancreas transplants. The program began at Beaumont Hospital, founded by transplant surgeon Dr. David Hickey. The program moved to St. Vincent's University Hospital in 2016.
· 30 years since Ireland's first liver transplant was performed at St Vincent's Hospital.
CHI Temple Street Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program celebrates 20 years
18th anniversary of first lung transplant at Matter University Hospital
15th anniversary of Beaumont Hospital's first spousal (unrelated) living donor kidney transplant
Ten years have passed since the introduction of code 115 on driver's licenses in January 2013, and by May 9, 2023, 1,485,988 drivers will be registered, accounting for 46.3% of all drivers.
You can apply for an organ donor card on the IKA website. Click here for details
The Irish Kidney Association also provides a ‘Digital Organ Donation Card’ which can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Playstore.
