MORE CANDIDATES WITH heart failure are on the waiting list for heart transplants than there are potential organs, a consultant cardiologist at the Mater Hospital has said.

Professor Emer Joyce from the Mater Hospital told The Journal that it is important for the general public to share their wishes regarding the donation of their organs with their family members.

In February, the Human Tissue Act was passed, which introduces an ‘opt-out’ system of consent for organ donation. Under this system, consent for organ donation is automatic unless the person, while alive, stated that they do not wish to become an organ donor after death.

Even if a person does not opt-out, it remains up to their family to decide if their loved one becomes an organ donor after death.

“It could be as simple as putting it in the family WhatsApp group – ‘listen, if the worst happens, I want to donate my organs’,” Professor Joyce said. 

Earlier this week, Dublin man Andy Kavanagh celebrated 38 years since receiving his heart transplant at the Mater in 1986 – making him the longest living heart transplant recipient in Ireland, and just one year behind the longest living heart transplant recipient in the world.

The median survival for heart transplants is 15 years.

The Coolock native was just 19 when he underwent the transplant, after developing cardiomyopathy when a flu-type illness attacked the muscles of his heart at the age of 18.

Though it is not normal practice for organ recipients in Ireland to know who their donor was, as deceased organ donation is anonymous here, Andy Kavanagh found out that his donor, David, who was also 18, was killed by a drunk driver.

Speaking to The Journal, Andy said that David and his family saved his life.

If it wasn’t for the sacrifice [David's mother] made, especially in 1986, because it wouldn’t have been common for people to be donating organs, I would not be here today.”

The Mater began its heart transplant programme in 1985, and has performed over 400 transplants since. In the last decade, the programme has been expanded and now includes mechanical heart pumps, which can be implanted in patients awaiting transplant or who are not suitable for transplant to keep patients stable.

Professor Joyce said that Kavanagh’s success shows the importance of organ donation in Ireland.

“Organ donation is why organ transplantation happens,” she said. “It has huge knock-on positive consequences.

“We are incumbent on organ donations and the generosity of our organ donors and their families to help provide transplantation, which is still the gold standard of treatment for people with end-stage heart failure.”

Joyce said that while Kavanagh reaching his 38 year anniversary is “phenomenal” she would love to see how this can be achieved for all patients.

“Why not try to push this forward so we can achieve the highest quality of life survival for all our patients,” she said.

“That’s where I call on our healthcare administrators and legislators, the HSE, this government and future governments to really support and fund and resource our post-transplant services, separately to organ donation itself and all the processes around it, because post-transplant programmes, including our ward in the Mater, really takes a village.

It takes a multidisciplinary team, as well as staff that has access to resources and also research and innovation to really try get to a stage where these outcomes are normal for all patients.”

She said that the service “probably [doesn't] receive the funding” that is needed to keep driving the service forward.

“We welcome – especially alongside the opt-out programme – further investment and funding in the post-transplant area for sure,” she said.

Kavanagh is now 57 years old, and is married with three children and one grandchild. He works in An Post, and lives an active life. He also received a kidney transplant in 2006 after being diagnosed with cancer.

He credited his survival with the “superb medical attention” he has received from the Mater over the years. 

He also said that his mindset has helped him to accept everything that has happened to him, particularly “just being positive and just being willing to accept every day as it comes. And whatever challenges come, you just meet them head on,” he said. “I’m still enjoying life, I’m still doing everything I wish to do.”

Kavanagh added that donor awareness has saved the lives of many people, and the new legislation regarding opting-out of becoming a donor makes it easier for families.