AS 19-year-old Matthew Doherty from Castlefinn gets ready to sit his Leaving Certificate this June, he’s celebrating far more than an academic milestone – this year also marks nine years since he received a life-saving kidney transplant that gave him a second chance at life.
Diagnosed in infancy with atypical HUS (haemolytic uraemic syndrome), a rare and life-threatening disease that severely affected his kidneys, Matthew’s early years were marked by constant hospital visits, invasive treatments, and exhausting routines that most children never have to face.
“I was just ten when I had the transplant, so I didn’t fully understand it at the time,” Matthew says. “But I do now. It changed everything.”
At just five years old, his kidneys could no longer function on their own.
He began nightly peritoneal dialysis at home, using a catheter he affectionately called ‘Freddie’.
He also underwent plasma exchange treatments to try and control the disease – but despite these interventions, there were times when hope seemed to fade.
“There were very dark moments,” recalls his mother, Louise.
“At one point he was on life support, and doctors were having to decide which of his failing organs to prioritise. It was a terrifying time.”
Then came the call they had been praying for – a donor kidney was available.
The transplant took place in 2016, and the transformation was immediate and profound.
“The difference was like night and day,” says his father Joe.
“All of a sudden, the fear lifted. He got to live like a normal child.”
The transplant not only saved Matthew’s life – it gave him freedom. No longer bound by nightly dialysis or constant hospital visits, he was finally able to enjoy his childhood and pursue his passions. Today, he plays Gaelic football with his local club, Robert Emmets, and hopes to study marketing at Sligo ATU after his exams.
“I’m just really grateful,” Matthew says.
“It was tough for my parents too – they were travelling back and forth from Donegal to Crumlin Hospital while also trying to care for my younger brother Adam.
“We all went through it together.”
Matthew continues to receive the immunosuppressant medication Eculizumab, which keeps his condition under control and protects his transplanted kidney by regulating his immune system.
Now, nearly a decade later, he’s sharing his story in support of the Irish Kidney Association to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.
“Because of another family’s decision to donate their loved one’s organs, I get to live a normal life,” he says.
“I’ll always be thankful for that.”
Matthew’s parents wrote anonymously to the donor family through the transplant coordinator shortly after the operation and again on the first anniversary, expressing their heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinary gift that changed all their lives. Organ Donor Awareness Week, organised by the Irish Kidney Association, runs until this Saturday, May 17.
This year’s campaign message is, ‘Don’t Leave Your Loved Ones in Doubt – Share Your Wishes about Organ Donation’.
To find out more or to request an organ donor card, visit www.ika.ie/donorweek.
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