Jack’s mum thankful for second chance

A THANKFUL mum has told how she expressed her gratitude in a heartfelt letter to the family of a kidney donor who gave her son a second chance at life.

Amanda Howard, who is originally from Finglas and now lives in County Roscommon, sent the letter following her son Jack’s successful transplant last July.

Jack, who has Charge Syndrome, had been undergoing nightly home dialysis treatment prior to being called for his life enhancing operation.

Amanda explained that Jack has defied the odds since he was born seven weeks prematurely and he spent the first 11 months of his life in Temple Street Hospital.

He underwent his first operation aged just one week and his quality of life had suffered from then until his successful transplant.

“When Jack was born we were told by the medics that he might not walk or talk,

? Amanda recalls.

“He’d walk and talk for Ireland now!

?

Gruelling

Although visually and hearing impaired, Jack enjoys going to mainstream school and is sitting his Junior Cert exams this year. In 2007 he had to have one of his kidneys removed but it was also discovered that the other wasn’t functioning well.

“Jack commenced home dialysis in September 2012 but found it quite gruelling and restrictive and it curbed his social life with his friends and prevented the family from going on holidays,

? Amanda continued.

“My husband Robert was being worked up for a living donation but then out of the blue in July 2013 we received a phone call from the transplant co-ordinator asking us to bring Jack to Temple Street Hospital as a suitable organ had been donated.

“Jack’s quality of life has improved considerably since his transplant. After all the battles Jack has faced in his life we are thankful to the family of his donor for making the decision to donate their loved one’s organs and that Jack didn’t have to wait for too long to be given a new lease of life.

“I sent an anonymous letter to the donor family through the donor co-ordinator before Christmas and it was the hardest letter I ever wrote. It is so difficult to put into words our immense gratitude and although we will never meet the donor family, they will forever be a part of our family.

?

This year is the 50th anniversary of transplant operations in Ireland and Organ Donor Awareness Week takes place from March 29 to April 5.

Popular broadcaster Mary Kennedy is voluntary ambassador for Organ Donor Awareness 2014, a role she took on after seeing first-hand the profound impact of organ donation on her friends and relatives.

She met Jack Howard at a recent promotion for organ donation awareness and has highlighted other organ donation stories over the years on RTE’s Nationwide.

“It is a great honour to be asked by the Irish Kidney Association to help create awareness of the struggle for people with organ failure and to encourage conversations amongst families to consider organ donation in the event of untimely death,

? she said.

“I think that most people have been touched by organ donation in some way. I have seen it from both sides. My late uncle, Tom White, who was like a second father to me, sadly passed away in 2002 having been on dialysis for many years with kidney failure.

“I am also deeply aware that the heartache experienced by my dear friends Martina and Denis Goggin, when their only son Ã?amonn tragically died in 2006, was tempered with the great consolation that the lives of four people were saved through honouring their son’s wish that his organs be donated.

?

The 2014 organ donation campaign features Kennedy in radio advertising as well as on posters, encouraging the public to lend their support. She will also attend the campaign’s national launch by Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, at the Mansion House this Wednesday (March 26).

There are over 600 people in Ireland awaiting life-saving heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas transplants. Thanks to the gift of organ donation over 3,000 people in Ireland are currently enjoying extended life.

In 2013 a record 294 organs were transplanted, 256 as a result of the generosity of the families of 86 deceased donors and the remaining 38 from living donors.

Organ Donor Cards can be obtained by calling the Irish Kidney Association on 1890-543639 or Freetext the word DONOR to 50050.

Donor

‘ecards’ can also be stored on Smart mobile phones. Search for

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