Megan celebrates the gift of life

A NORTHSIDE mother is appealing to people to consider organ donation following her daughter’s successful kidney transplant operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London.

Megan Carter (14), from Coolock, became the first child in the UK to benefit from a technique that allowed for a successful kidney transplant after a previous transplant was rejected.

Megan was born with problems with her kidneys that led to her receiving a transplant at Temple Street Hospital in 2011. However, her body rejected the kidney leading to it being removed the following day and requiring life-saving dialysis on a daily basis.

Megan was placed back on the transplant list but her chances of getting a kidney were low. She had elevated levels of antibodies, meaning that chances of rejecting the kidney were high, and so her chances of receiving a further organ and having a successful transplant were very slim.

With almost no chance of a donor, Megan’s family felt helpless until Dr Stephen Marks, Consultant Pediatric Nephrologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, got in touch and said he could help.

Dr Marks outlined a technique being carried out successfully in adults that flushed out human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies. This meant that Megan’s dad, Eddie, who wasn’t considered a viable option as a donor, could in fact give her his kidney.

After travelling to Great Ormond Street Hospital and having her antibodies removed over an intense week in April, Megan successfully received a kidney transplant from her father. After the transplant, the family noticed an immediate difference.

Her mum, Carol, told Northside People:

“It was like she had come to life in front of our eyes. Her hair was glossy, her eyes were bright, there was colour in her cheeks and she was the child that we should have had before. She also has loads of energy.

?

Three months after her operation, Megan’s immune system is almost up to full strength. The change in her is visible both day and night and she’s a happy, normal teenager.

According to Carol, Megan is not tired anymore and has got her life now.

“This is the best news we could have hoped for,

? she said.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. Megan deserved a break after all she has been through.

“She is starting second year at Mercy College (Coolock) in September. She is raring to go and will be able to focus fully now on her studies.

“She was on dialysis three times a week last year and it was so difficult for her to lead any sort of a normal life.

“Her Dad is doing great too and has had no problems since the operation. He was able to go back to work last week. Megan feels even more special now because she has her Dad’s kidney.

?

Carol said that after the kidney was rejected in the 2011 operation, the days that followed were

“unbearable

?.

“Megan had the new kidney for only eight hours and it failed,

? she said.

“She was dealt a cruel hand. It was so hard to take at the time.

?

Megan was accepted onto a Paired Exchange Programme where willing donors and recipients essentially swap kidneys so their loved ones can benefit.

This meant that Eddie would donate a kidney at Guy’s Hospital in London and Megan would be transplanted with a kidney (not her father’s) at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Despite being on the programme the opportunity for this operation never came up.

Carol praised Dr Marks and Nizam Mamode, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at GSOH, for their skilled work.

“It was fantastic of Dr Marks and Mr Mamode to take us on,

? she stated.

“We were at our wits’ end and we felt like all avenues led to a brick wall.

?

Following Megan’s success story, Carol is calling on people to seriously consider organ donation.

“There is no greater gift you can give someone than the gift of life,

? she said.

“If anyone walked through the dialysis ward in Temple Street, they would sign up immediately.

“It’s so hard to see children hooked up to dialysis machines for eight hours at a time; it’s no life.

?

“I would also urge people in a similar situation to ours never to give up hope. Don’t take no for an answer and explore every possible option.

?

Mark Murphy, chief executive of the Irish Kidney Association, acknowledged the health care cooperation between the UK and Ireland.

“In the last three years, 31 children from Ireland benefited from specialist organ transplantation in UK hospitals,

? said Mr Murphy.

Megan’s family would like to thank their neighbours and friends for helping to keep their costs down for the duration of their 10-week stay in London, and also the kidney team on the St Michael’s C ward at Temple Street for looking after their daughter.

*For an organ donor card Freetext the word DONOR to 50050 or visit www.ika.ie