Transplant teenagers get second Pfizer BioNTech vaccine dose at Beaumont Hospital

After a year of trepidation, three kidney transplant teenagers came out of cocooning last Thursday when they attended Beaumont Hospital for an unprecedented cause for celebration.

The former patients at Temple Street Children’s Hospital are among the first in the revised Group 4 classified to be in the ‘very high-risk’ to receive their second and final ‘shot in the arm’ of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, against Covid-19.

They were photographed at the Irish Kidney Association’s Renal Support Centre located on the grounds of Beaumont Hospital.

With the changes that were brought in last month, revised group 4 was extended from 18-69 years to include 16 and 17 year olds.

With the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine being the only one currently approved for 16 and 17 year olds the three teens were added to the list and their vaccination will now allow them to return to school with a greater sense of confidence.

First of the three to receive her second dose of Pfizer/BioNTech on Thursday 8^th April at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin was Lana Devine (16) from Kells, County Meath who was accompanied by her parents, former Meath footballer Jody Devine and mother Emer and two younger brothers Liam (13) and Joe (7).

Soon afterwards two other kidney transplant recipients who were given their second dose of the vaccine and increased level of reassurance were Gearóid Wrafter (16) from Loughaun, Tullamore, Co Offaly watched on by his mother Theresa and sister Denise and Rebecca Osgood Daly (17) whose kidney donor mother Bernie Osgood had driven her daughter to her hospital appointment from Ballinlough, Co Roscommon.

This was an Easter school holiday gift like no other for Gearóid, who received his kidney transplant in 2015 and is a fifth year student at Killina Secondary School.

Rebecca, also a 5^th year student at Ballyhaunis Community School in Mayo where her mother Bernie, who donated a kidney to her in 2010, is a teacher.

Lana, is a Transition Year student in Eureka Secondary School in Kells.

She received her kidney in 2008 when she was just four years old following two years of nightly dialysis treatment as she was born with dysplastic kidneys.

Individuals who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their driver’s licence and having the ‘digital organ donor card’ APP on their smartphone. Organ Donor Cards can be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. You can also visit the website www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or download a free ‘digital organ donor card’ APP to your phone.