A WATERFORD FAMILY has emerged triumphant from a year where they were hit by multiple health crises.
In 2014, Lia Murphy managed to give birth after a successful kidney transplant while her brother Bob underwent a successful kidney transplant at his third attempt.
In total, the Murphy family have experienced kidney difficulties across three generations that have required seven transplants.
Síle Murphy, mother to Bob and Lia, has seen her husband Sean and three of their four children suffer from a hereditary kidney condition known as MPGN (Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis).
The family last night appeared on the Late Late Show as a follow on from Organ Donor Awareness Week.
They are encouraging the public to make sure that they are eligible for organ donation.
Of the donations received by the Murphy family – five have come from deceased organ donors.
Successful transplants
Síle and Sean’s only daughter Lia, who works as a producer with Today FM, had suffered from a Kidney condition and underwent a transplant operation in 2011. This allowed her to give birth to her son Colm in September last year.
Sean and Síle also have an adult son, Bob, who previously underwent two unsuccessful kidney transplants.
One of these was from his father Sean in 1984. At the time it was unknown that Bob’s father was suffering from the condition. Bob had a second unsuccessful transplant in 1997.
Bob had his third kidney transplant last year. This time, thankfully, he successfully received a living transplant from his brother Mahon.
Statistics
Last year a total of 19 children received kidney transplants in Ireland. Currently there are only 16 children receiving dialysis treatment – 11 less than a year ago.
At the end of 2014 there had been an increase of 74 adults receiving dialysis treatment in Ireland – something that was put down to a lack of donors.
In 2014 Beaumont Hospital conducted 158 transplant operations – of which 112 were from deceased donors.
Currently there are more than 4,000 people in Ireland with failed kidneys.
Individuals can indicate their willingness to donate by carrying an organ donor card, downloading the Smartphone App or by permitting Cod 115 to be displayed on their driver’s licence.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say