Athlone man gives gift of life to his fiancée

It was a case of third time lucky when a 29-year-old Athlone man came to the rescue to give the ultimate pre-wedding gift to his ailing fiancée, a soon-to-be-qualified art teacher, when he donated a kidney to her on Monday, June 22 last..

The couple are sharing their good news to offer hope to the hundreds of other families with loved ones in organ failure on transplant waiting lists as the kidney transplant programme has resumed at Beaumont Hospital following its suspension in March due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

PICTURED: Shane Hunter and Briona Reynolds on the night before the kidney transplant.

Five years ago when beautiful Briona Reynolds (age 28) from Tubber discovered she had kidney disease she could never have known that her boyfriend, Shane Hunter, from Athlone, whom she met in 2009 after her sister’s introduction would ultimately give her the gift of life.

Briona no longer has to undergo three times weekly haemodialysis treatment at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore.

The couple can now look forward to a bright future together as they are now recovering following their successful living donor transplant operations at the home they share in Briona’s native Tubber. They are now turning their attention to planning for their wedding in July 2021 at the nearby Mount Druid and Shane will return to working at Tullamore Garda Station soon.

Beaumont Hospital had already suspended transplant operations before the country went into lock down on March 27 including Briona and Shane’s operations, scheduled to take place on March 23. This would be their second disappointment as a previous date for transplant, February 3, had also been cancelled due to safety concerns as a result of Shane’s blood results showing irregularities at the time. By February, Briona’s kidney function had almost fully declined and she then had no option but to commence haemodialysis treatment in order to keep her alive. Briona’s mother Gina Reynolds was also found to be a suitable living kidney donor match but Shane was determined that he should be the one to proceed.

Just a week before the transplant operation took place, Briona, completed her thesis for a master’s in education. Fulfilling her dream to become a secondary school art teacher is now edging closer.

Shane is son of Norman and Sharon Hunter from Dysart, Co. Roscommon and Briona is daughter of Frank and Gina Reynolds from Tubber.

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

The public can also support the work of the Irish Kidney Association and can Freetext KIDNEY to 50300 to donate €4. Texts cost €4, Irish Kidney Association will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278. They can also donate through the Irish Kidney Association’s website https://ika.ie/make-a-contribution/