Megan draws inspiration from her lifesaving treatment 

A NORTHSIDE kidney transplant recipient has put her creative talents down to a play specialist she met at Temple Street Children’s Hospital while undergoing treatment.

Megan Carter (18), from Coolock, told Northside People her heartwarming story ahead of Organ Donor Awareness Week which runs from March 30 to April 6.  

When Megan was just three-years-old her parents were told that her kidneys were failing. Growing up she had many operations to try and fix her renal problems but nothing worked. 

“When I was 11-years-old I was put on the transplant list,” says Megan. “It was only four weeks later that my parents got the important call from the transplant coordinator that they had found a match. 

“I remember being scared and not fully understanding what was going to happen but I went in to the hospital hopeful that I would come out to be like everyone else my age. 

“Sadly, only eight hours after the transplant my body went into rejection with my whole body fighting to reject the kidney. 

“I was in hospital for one month recovering and in that time I experienced so much anger and betrayal and my loving parents were there to try console and support me. But that’s when Olive came in to my life.”

Olive, a Play Specialist in Temple Street, became Megan’s best friend during “many hard times”.

“I was used to being poked and prodded but it was a sense of relief when Olive came to me with a box of art supplies,” she recalls.

“I strongly believe that if it wasn’t for Olive I wouldn’t be doing what I love now – drawing and doing make-up.

“My mental health really took a toll on me while I was recovering and it was very comforting to have someone there who wasn’t only present to try to help me get better but to also bring out my creative side and to distract me from everything that was going on with my physical health. Olive wasn’t just a play specialist, she was my friend.

“I spent three long years on dialysis and during this time I looked forward to seeing Olive and drawing alongside her while I was waiting for my transplant.”

In 2013 when she was 13-years-old, Megan was put on a trial to be the first person under 18-years-of-age in both the UK and Ireland to receive a kidney transplant from someone who wasn’t a kidney donor match due to “my 100 percent antibodies build up as a result of my failed transplant”. 

“My dad had stepped up to be my donor,” she says. “I had to fly to London to undergo several treatments over a week to remove the antibodies from my body. It was called desensitisation.”

Megan feels “very lucky” that it worked.  

“I flew back to London again later in the year to receive my kidney transplant from my dad on April Fool’s Day,” she says.  

“I will always have some antibodies and I will always be high risk with bumps in the road but I’m so grateful and lucky to have received this life changing transplant and for it to have worked. 

“I spent three months recovering in London and the play specialists there kept my spirits up by drawing with me, and as wonderful as they were, they were no Olive!

“This year I will be five years post transplant and I am about to start a make-up course. I’ll be able to take my art skills from my hospital bed into the real world. 

“To Olive, all the medical and nursing staff and my parents who cared for me along the way I will be forever grateful.”

Meanwhile, the Irish Kidney Association is delighted to announce that Ray D’Arcy has agreed to the voluntary role of ambassador for organ donor awareness 2019. 

The broadcaster will be taking up the baton from Claire Byrne who fronted last year’s campaign.

During Organ Donor Awareness Week 2019 D’Arcy will be encouraging the public to support organ donation for transplantation by letting their loved ones know their wishes (#Have the Chat).

• Organ Donor Cards can also be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01-6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. Visit www.ika.ie/card Also, you can now download a free ‘digital organ donor card’ APP to your phone.