Local mother reveals how organ donation changed her life

ORGAN donor families and grateful transplant recipients nationwide are supporting Organ Donor Awareness Week 2022 which takes place this week and is organised by the Irish Kidney Association in association with the HSE’s Organ Donation Transplant Ireland.

Local Kidney Transplant recipient Yvonne Cullen lives in Ballinteer and is a native of Churchtown, where her father Billy Cullen lives.

Just after Yvonne gave birth to her son Josh (now 18) at the Coombe she was referred to nephrologist Dr. Catherine Wall in Tallaght University Hospital.

She had no prior knowledge that her kidneys were failing and even when she was being monitored, she didn’t realise that her kidney function might deteriorate.

It came as a shock to her when she was told that in time, she would need a kidney transplant.

“As no other members of our family suffered from kidney disease it was suspected that mine might have stemmed from an infection which I picked up as a child or at birth when as a newborn I caught pneumonia,” Yvonne explains.

“I remember having several kidney infections as a child but these were not attributed to anything in particular and I was prescribed antibiotics to fight them off.

“I was lucky to be put in the safe hands of Dr. Catherine Wall and for several years through medication and lifestyle changes I got to stay away from dialysis for many years.

“I changed jobs and decided to be a stay at home mam looking after Josh and childminding other people’s children also but found in later years as my kidney disease progressed that I was very tired.

Yvonne pictured on a recent family holiday in Palma Majorca

“It still came as a blow to me when in late 2015 Dr Catherine Wall told me that I would have to start dialysis and that it was now time for me to go on the transplant waiting list for a donor kidney.

“So in June 2016 I had started on a form of home dialysis, which involved undergoing treatment 4 times throughout the day but then I transferred over to nightly dialysis hooking up to a machine which filtered toxins out of my blood for 10 hours each night.

“By this time I was skin and bone, a size 6, and exhausted all the time.

“This was upsetting for me as I was concerned for my future and, as a single mum, raising my son Josh who was just eleven or twelve years old at the time.

“The Irish Kidney Association was very good to me at this time offering advice and support and were a shoulder to lean on as I didn’t want to over burden my family and Josh with my concerns.

“I was facing years of waiting for a kidney transplant. My brother and my two sisters and my friends Aishling and Michelle were a rock of support throughout my health journey.”

“But to this day I feel absolutely blessed to have been called to Beaumont Hospital for a kidney transplant in December from a stranger which changed my life.

“Although my recovery took a few weeks I was home in time for Christmas eve 2016 much to the joy of my son Josh and our family.

“I am so grateful and have written to the family of my organ donor anonymously through the organ donor co-ordinator at Beaumont hospital to thank them.

“All the medical and nursing staff who have cared for me from the time I gave birth at the Coombe, to Tallaght Hospital and then Beaumont for my transplant have been wonderful.

“My family has been amazing also including my father Billy Cullen who looked after Josh so well when we lived with him for a few years in Churchtown and kept a close eye on him and me when we moved to Balinteer.

“My life has been completely transformed and I am making the most of it.

“I have put my weight back on and I am delighted to have recently been able to go back to work in catering.

“I have taken part in a few Women’s mini marathons since the transplant and for on one of these I raised funds for the Irish kidney Association.

“I have just returned from a family holidays in Palma Majorca, my first time abroad for in 17 years.

“My health is my wealth and I have my donor to thank for it.”