"To be able to breathe unaided is something I cherish"

Ciaran McDonald, a dairy farmer based in Ballycumber, is stressing the importance of organ donations ahead of Organ Donor Awareness Week 2023 which takes place from May 20 until May 27

Ciaran underwent a life-saving double lung transplant in the early autumn of 2021 at the age of 58.

Although, back in 2010 Ciaran underwent testing in which a shadow on his lung showed up, it wasn't until eight years later that matters became concerning.

In 2018 Ciaran was feeling very unfit and it bothered him as he played a lot of sport in between long hours working on his 350-stock dairy farm. He also caught a flu virus and became very sick and was admitted to the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. It became apparent to medics that there was an issue with his lungs and he was transferred to St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin.

Prior to this, the Wexford native said he never really felt sick and just felt tired and sluggish. Tests revealed he had only 26% lung function and he was referred to the Mater Hospital’s Transplant team for assessment to go on the transplant waiting list for either a single or double lung transplant.

By Christmas 2019 Ciaran was accepted onto the transplant waiting list following many medical tests and some hesitation on Ciaran’s part about his willingness to accept a donor lung/s from a deceased donor. His wife Teresa was present at his appointment with his lung consultant who gave him a very sobering prognosis about the possible outcome of his diagnosis.

A few other people Ciaran had known on transplant waiting lists had passed away so he was aware of the reality of his situation but he was determined to remain positive and not dwell on his health condition. For 13 months Ciaran was on 24-hour oxygen supply, carrying his life-saving oxygen supply around on his back in a knapsack.

The Ballycumber resident credits his manual farm work for helping to keep him fit enough to undergo a major transplant operation. He was mentally prepared for a transplant and also that the operation might not proceed.

Then on a Saturday night in early Autumn 2021 he received a call from the Mater Hospital to come to Dublin as a deceased donor’s lungs had become available. It was to be his only call for a transplant as it proceeded and was a success with no rejection.

Although, within four weeks of his transplant his lung function was back up to 88%, the road to recovery wasn’t smooth. Ciaran was unfortunate to catch a virus which was a huge setback as his health declined rapidly. He had to be peg fed to help him to get over the setback of the virus as well as the healing process of the operation. After a long hospital stay he was allowed home on high-level antibiotics. It took almost a year to recover post-transplant because of the setback but he described how he felt on top of the world after Christmas 2022.

He said that while he will always be cautious as he is on lifetime immunosuppressant medication, he feels that his life has not been only saved by the act of a selfless donor and their family but his quality of life has vastly improved.

He is back working on his busy farm, while in his spare time he loves spending time with his wife and family including his grandchildren who he describes as a ‘pleasure to be around and a big ball of fun.’ One of his grandchildren was born in the past year and Ciaran said: "Were it not for my transplant I would not have been blessed to meet her. To be able to breathe unaided is something I cherish and will never take for granted. The future is looking great and I have my donor to thank for this.”

"The medical nursing and transplant team at the Mater Hospital have been exceptional in the care they have given me. My wife Teresa and my family have also been a rock of support and I'd like to thank my neighbours and friends for their unstinting support to me and my family. There are so many people that I am thankful to and I'll never forget how they were there for me. The family of my donor will always remain in my thoughts. Without the decision they made for organ donation of their loved ones I would not be here."

Ciaran runs a busy dairy farm in Ballycumber and lives with his wife Teresa. Two of their adult children, Triona and Christopher, live nearby and one of their daughters Roberta lives abroad and also works in the agricultural industry. Ciaran moved to Offaly nearly 30 years ago and is from Crossbeg in Co Wexford where his mother still resides along with some of his six siblings.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly officially launched Organ Donor Awareness Week at the Mansion House, Dublin 2 on Tuesday, May 16.

Chief Executive, Irish Kidney Association, Carol Moore, said: “Organ donation is a great example of active citizenship, and the Irish Kidney Association is calling on everybody to take the opportunity of Organ Donor Awareness Week to share their wishes. We greatly value the role of pharmacies and An Post in helping to spread the message about the importance of organ donation by displaying the campaign poster and carrying stocks of organ donor cards.”

Ms Moore added: “Patients on transplant waiting lists live in hope that organs will become available to them and a strong public show of support by requesting organ donor cards builds that hope. The uncertainty associated with waiting for an organ transplant is difficult as the future is unknown and there is the knowledge that in order to be given the gift of life another family will be grieving the loss of a loved one.”