Birr man receives donor kidney from older brother

A Birr man received a donor kidney from his brother and has gone on to enjoy a healthy life, an event yesterday (Thursday) launching Organ Donor Awareness Week in Tullamore heard.

There are currently 120 dialysis patients at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore and 46-year-old Fintan Clooney from Birr gave moving testimony of his own experience after receiving a living donor kidney from his older brother.

The living donor kidney transplant operation took place last summer, exactly eight years to the day after Fintan received the news that his kidney function was failing and he would need a transplant.

Father-of-one, Joe Clooney (50) who lives in Moate, secretly underwent rigorous testing to determine if he could be a living kidney donor and didn’t disclose this to anyone including his ailing brother, Fintan, until it was confirmed by Beaumont Hospital that he would be a suitable match.

Eight years ago Fintan made an appointment to see his doctor when his legs became very swollen. His doctor Donal O’Brien’s suspicions that he had kidney disease proved to be correct when he was referred to Renal Consultant, Dr Eoin Bergin who made the formal diagnosis following a series of tests.

Although Fintan’s kidney function was declining, with careful management of his condition under Dr Bergin’s guidance, he staved off dialysis treatment for four years until he eventually progressed to complete kidney failure.

He then commenced haemodialysis treatment at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore.

For almost four more years, Fintan attended his haemodialysis treatment three times a week at the hospital while all the time his energy and concentration levels were depleted and he was confined to a strict diet with limited fluid intake.

His employer, a medical devices company in Tullamore, allowed him to reduce his working hours to undertake his treatment.

Since the successful transplant operation at Beaumont Hospital last July they have both enjoyed continuous good health.

Joe was discharged from hospital just four days after his kidney donation operation and Fintan followed a week later.

While the men were in hospital, Joe’s wife, Julie and their son, stayed at the Irish Kidney Association’s Renal Support Centre which is located on the grounds of Beaumont Hospital.

Both men are eager to share their story to create awareness about the importance of organ donation and to encourage people to discuss the subject with the families.

Joe said he decided to donate because he could see how sick Fintan looked.

“I feel no different physically now than I did before the transplant and I don’t feel like there is anything missing”.

Fintan says the transplant has made a huge difference to him both from a physical and psychological perspective. “I feel like a young man again thanks to my generous brother Joe. My transplant has given me a new lease of life, I’m full of energy and I have much more clarity of mind than before and am full of positivity.”

“I returned to work in October in a full-time position as I had to cut back on my hours before to manage my illness.

“I feel very fortunate that my brother was a suitable donor for me but there are so many people out there who are on transplant waiting lists for not just kidney transplants but hearts, livers and lungs also. I would urge everyone to discuss organ donation and by doing this more lives will be saved,” he concluded.