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Tag Archives: kidney failure.

Strengthening family bonds with kidney donation

A GORT man, who donated a kidney to his brother, is organising an event in aid of the Irish Kidney Association this Saturday. This time last year, Gerry Quinn donated a kidney to his brother, John, after the latter had been on dialysis for more than a year. Kidney transplants where the donor is alive are still quite rare in Ireland, with only 50 taking place in 2016. The Quinn brothers’ story is a very positive one, in that there was a family member who was a match and willing to donate. Tragically, for hundreds of other dialysis patients across Ireland, they must await a phonecall relaying the news that someone has passed away before donation is possible. The lifespan of a kidney donated from a ‘foreign’ donor – a person who is not a family member – is usually between 10 and 15 years. A kidney donated from a family member is a much stronger match and will last longer. Indeed, …

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Kidney transplant a life-changer for Michael

MICHAEL Mescall considers himself blessed. In his time of need, his wife and family were not slow in lending their support in the most profound manner. Diagnosed with kidney failure in December 2005, the retired Clare County Council civil engineer, who farms in Kilmihil, needed a new kidney. His wife, Maureen and Michael’s extended family didn’t dwell for a moment. They were prepared to hand over one of theirs and, in fact, were queuing up to do so. “During the summer of 2011, I was placed on the transplant list and I will always be grateful to my brother, Martin; Maureen’s nephews, Martin, Michael and Andrew Kelly; their mother, Bernie and Maureen, all of whom offered me a kidney. How lucky can one person be?” Michael wondered. Eventually, Maureen was chosen to donate her kidney to her husband. “Both of us worked hard at getting fit and keeping down the weight but this was not a chore, as we had …

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