Offaly branch of IKA launches Organ Donor Awareness Week

Organ Donor Awareness Week for the Offaly branch of the Irish Kidney Association was officially launched in the Tullamore Court Hotel last night (Thursday). Jerome Burke, Chairman of the Offaly branch of the Irish Kidney Association opened the event along with Chairman of Tullamore Town Council Sean O"Brien. Organ Donor Awareness Week will commence tomorrow (Saturday) and continue until Saturday April 4. Also speaking at the launch from the Regional Hospital Tullamore was Angela Killeen, Clinical Nurse Specialist for pre-dialysis patients and Maria Bergstram, Clinical Nurse Specialist for renal patients. Consultant Nephrologist, Eoin Bergin, Regional Hospital Tullamore, Mark Murphy, Chief Executive of the Irish Kidney Association and Mike Kelly, Coordinator Counselling Services, Irish Kidney Association also spoke about the importance of organ donation. The Offaly branch of the Irish Kidney Association this year celebrates its 21st anniversary since its foundation in March 1988. The family of the late Richie Young from Mountbolus, who passed away earlier this year also attended last night"s event. Richie, as one of the founder members of the Irish Kidney Association"s Offaly branch was its first secretary, and he was elected to the national board where he held the position of national chairperson of the organisation for two years. Special achievement awards in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the organisation, were awarded to Oliver and Miriam Craughwell from Birr as well as to Caroline Dolan from Ferbane. Caroline"s late father, Paddy Dolan, was the first treasurer of the Offaly IKA branch. Caroline is celebrating 25 years of her living related kidney transplant which she received from her brother. Throughout Organ Donor Awareness Week volunteer collectors will selling forget-me-not flowers (the symbol of transplantation), donor keyrings and car magnets, in towns and villages throughout county Offaly including Birr, Portarlington, Edenderry, Daingean, Ferbane, Kinnitty and Kilcormac. In Tullamore, IKA volunteers will be distributing donor cards and selling forget me not flowers, keyrings and car magnets at the Regional Hospital Tullamore next Wednesday, at the Tullamore Credit Union on Friday April 3 and on Saturday April 4 they will be in the Bridge Centre, Tullamore and at Dunnes Stores Shopping Centre, Church Road.