‘It’s a lovely thing to be able to give the gift of life’

AN AUNT who donated a kidney to her seven-year-old niece says that “being handed the winning lotto ticket” could not come close to the feeling of saving her god daughter’s life.   

Ann McGivney (55), from Nobber says she “did not think twice” about stepping forward and offering to be a donor for her sister’s daughter, Shannen Proudfoot, now 13 who was born with defective kidneys.

Now both Ann and her sister Cathy are passionate about raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and the support and dedication of Temple Street Hospital where the teenager underwent the transplant.

Mum Catherine explains more about Shannen’s condition.  

“Shannen was born in 2006 with a condition called Renal Dysplasia which is a form of renal malformation, basically the kidney had not developed properly, therefore, could not function fully and in Shannen’s case it was both kidney’s affected - bilateral renal dysplasia, the only cure would be a kidney transplant.

“At six-weeks-old Shannen was referred to the renal unit in Temple Street where she was placed under the care of nephrologist Dr Atif Awan consultant. Dr Atif explained that Shannen would need a kidney transplant, the renal team were fantastic in their help and were always only a phone call away.

“When I found out I was the closest match out of our family it just felt brilliant."

“If Shannen was sick she was seen straight away. After a few weeks on dialysis when she was seven Shannen had her transplant in October 2013 she received her kidney from my sister Ann who is also Shannen’s godmother.

“The operation was a success and Shannen has never looked back, she is now in first year in secondary school. She still goes up for bloods every four to six weeks and has to take anti-rejection tablets for life. The staff at Temple Street made the whole experience run so smoothly and took a lot of the stress away and we as a family will always be grateful to them.”

Ann describes the experience of donating an organ.

“When I found out I was the closest match out of our family it just felt brilliant. We are an exceptionally close family, it was just lovely to do it. I remember the morning I was going over to Beaumont to donate the kidney and I called into Shannen because she was in Temple Street.

“I didn’t get to see her through any of the operation part of it but it’s just such a lovely thing to be able to give the gift of life.

“It didn’t hit me until Dr Hickey came in on the Friday morning and said to me what you did for the little girl was great and the kidney started working at 3 o’clock this morning. 

“The minute he said those words I just started crying, not even if you had the winning lotto ticket and handed it to me would I have cared, I would have thrown it aside, nothing else mattered. I couldn’t have imagined how I was going to feel, there are no words that will ever describe the feeling of him saying those words. 

Shannen underwent a kidney transplant when she was seven.

“From a living donor it’s even better, I know if it’s a deceased donor you will always pray for them and their family but you will never know them but with me I can, I can see Shannen, I can see her thriving.

“Seeing a seven-year-old on a dialysis machine, it’s just awful. Shannen is horseriding now, she has such a full life that she never would have had.”

The ‘fairy godmother’ as she has been dubbed has a great relationship with her niece and they share more than just a kidney.  

“I say to her for all of your birthdays and Christmases, I just have to give you a card and draw a big kidney and write to you from me!

“We slag each other and if she is going out to a disco, I say you keep that kidney warm now. I say that it is ironic that in years to come, one kidney will be going out to a disco and the other will be going to bed early in slippers, the banter is great between us.

 

"Shannen is horseriding now, she has such a full life that she never would have had.”

“Shannen was a very quiet child but after the operation, she became very giddy and outgoing and the surgeon said to Catherine, do you mind me asking is your sister a chatty person because Shannen hasn’t shut up since she got this kidney because apparently, she does inherit my DNA which is amazing.

“Temple Street is a home from home for her. Each child in Temple Street is made feel like they are the only child in the hospital. Not only did they do so much for Shannen but also for her two brothers Luke and James and the whole family.” 

KILMAINHAMWOOD Vintage Club has organised a major fundraiser for Temple Street Children’s Hospital and the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, which will take place this summer. To donate see ‘Long Way Home Vintage Run’ Facebook Page or call Joe Cassidy on 086-8357654.