Sam gets kidney gift from dad

A NORTHSIDE boy is recovering in hospital after receiving a kidney transplant.

Sam Kinahan (5), from Baldoyle (pictured), received the donated organ from his father, Ivan. Since he was four and a half-months-old, Sam has been undergoing dialysis treatment to keep him alive. 

On June 10 he underwent his life changing kidney transplant at Temple Street Children’s University Hospital within hours of his father Ivan undergoing an operation at Beaumont Hospital to remove one of his kidneys for living donation.

Ivan was discharged from hospital five days after his operation but Sam will remain at Temple Street for a few weeks as he continues to recover.

While recuperating at home, Ivan said it was a great privilege to be able to give Sam his kidney. 

“He is a great child,” said Ivan. “The kidney is working well for him, but it is expected he will be kept in hospital for a few weeks as he continues to recover. 

“Myself and my wife Chloe are looking forward to getting him home. His older sister Ali really misses him. It has been a very emotional time for all of us.

“The transplant will make a huge difference for all of us. Sam won’t be pulled away three times a week for dialysis treatment.”

Ivan said that when he woke up after his operation, he immediately felt a great sense of relief. 

“In the immediate days following the transplant there was a huge relief for me that things had worked out,” he said.

“Sam’s illness had put pressure on family for so long and a pressure which I carried personally, the huge extent of which I wasn't fully aware of until after the transplant went ahead. 

“I would encourage everyone to discuss organ donation. We are very conscious that other kids in Sam's dialysis ward don't have suitable living donors and they and their families are depending on the goodwill of the general public to sign up for a donor card.

“Beaumont Hospital demonstrated huge sensitivity to my needs as they tried to balance the importance of caring for me while I was eager to get to see Sam who was across the city at Temple Street Hospital.”

Ivan added: “Our family is hugely grateful to the medical, nursing and surgical teams at Temple Street and Beaumont Hospitals for their wonderful care as well as to the Irish Kidney Association for supporting us throughout the process."

• Organ Donor Cards can be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01-6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. Visit www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or download the ‘Digital Organ Donor card’ to your smartphone.