Locals tell amazing donor stories

SOME amazing stories of Northsiders who donated and received life-saving organs were told during Organ Donor Awareness Week earlier this month.

A record number of 294 organ transplants were carried out in 2013, despite there being the same number of donors last year as there was back in 2003.

There were 86 deceased organ donors in both 2013 and 2003 but thanks to medical advancement in Ireland, 69 more organs were transplanted last year than there were a decade before.

Successful recipients included Patrick Grimes (60) from Clonsilla, Dublin 15 who received a heart transplant in July 2013. He was one of 11 people to undergo heart transplants at the Mater Hospital in 2013.

Diagnosed with a heart murmur in 1965 his health started to deteriorate in 1980 and one of his heart valves was replaced. In 1997 Patrick had a cardiac arrest and was in a coma for five days.

A defibrillator and pacemaker were installed but in 1999 he suffered another minor heart attack. Just two years ago his health deteriorated considerably.

He was barely able to walk for more than a few meters and after getting up for breakfast would be so fatigued that he had to return straight to bed.

He was put on the transplant waiting list in December 2012 where he remained until he was called for his life saving heart transplant last summer at the Mater Hospital.

He spent eight weeks recuperating at the Mater before he was allowed to return home. He is now enjoying life to the full and is re-establishing his interest in country music and dance as well as following sport which he had lost interest in when he became very ill.

He says that thanks to his deceased donor he can now enjoy spending time with his family and two grandchildren aged one and three. He is also grateful to the hospital staff at Blanchardstown and the Mater who took such good care of him.

He’s also thankful to all his family including wife Margaret, sister-in-law Margaret, daughter Orla and son Paul for their support throughout his illness.

Patrick worked with Superquinn (now SuperValu) for 25 years prior to retiring. Originally he worked as a Deli Charge (in Blanchardstown, Swords and Lucan) and then was employed in accounts at the company’s head office in Sutton.

Another story of a donor from Dublin 15 also came to light during Organ Donation Week. Rory Doherty was just 19 when he became a donor and that decision helped save the lives of five others after he sadly passed away aged just 33 following an accident last year.

His sister Ailbhe told Journal.ie how the family knew exactly how to answer when asked by hospital staff would they donate his organs.

“For a family it is a devastating moment because not only were we losing someone we love, but we were also losing a best friend, father, son, brother and partner,

? she said.

“There is no doubt that the pain was unbearable but knowing that this was what Rory would have wanted and that something so amazing and positive could come out of what had happened we said

‘yes’ to donating his organs.

“Rory saved five people’s lives; one recipient received his kidney and pancreas, the second recipient received his other kidney, we know his liver went to the third recipient and both his lungs went to a young person and finally his lovely heart went to England.

?

Rory was one of 86 people last year who gave a lifeline to others by being an organ donor. More donors are badly needed and the Irish Kidney Association is appealing for everybody to consider carrying a donor card.

Organ Donor Cards are available by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 1890-543639 or Freetext the word DONOR to 50050. Further details are available online at www.ika.ie and it’s now possible to store an organ donor card, or

‘ecard’ on Smart mobile phones. To do so just search for

‘Donor ECard’ at the iPhone Store or Android Market Place.