Army, Naval Service and Air Corps stepped out along with the family of a deceased member of the Defence Forces from Kilkenny in support of Organ Donor Awareness Week.
Sergeant Pat Cassidy from Paulstown passed away at the age of 47, five years ago, following a heart attack.
Pat received a full military funeral in recognition of his bravery in life and death. He was a blood donor and also held an organ donor card. His wife Yvonne and their children honoured his wishes and three lives were saved with a donation of his lungs, liver and kidneys.
CAOGA supports its members in the Defence Forces in the event of the untimely passing of a key family member. CAOGA organised the event in partnership with the Irish Kidney Association to mark the beginning of Organ Donor Awareness Week.
At the Ceremony, Yvonne explained, “It’s a very special day for my family and I to be asked to help highlight Organ Donor Awareness Week alongside members of the Defence Forces and CAOGA. Pat would have been proud. We both came from military families and I grew up in the army married quarters here at McKee Barracks as my father was a Company Sergeant, while Pat, was the son of an army Corporal at Custume Barracks in Athlone."
“Pat was seemingly very fit and healthy before he passed away at just 47 years of age. He ran 8km a day, didn’t smoke and drank in moderation although he did have high blood pressure. Following his heart attack, he had stents inserted but he took a bad turn which is thought to have been caused by an aneurysm, which left him on life support for three days before we said goodbye to him. We hadn’t slept for days and the decision to donate his organs was a hard one to make but was made easier knowing that we were honouring his wishes. He had been a blood donor all his life and we had had the conversation about his wishes to be an organ donor."
Representing CAOGA Comdt. Ciara Murray said, “We are delighted to be here today in recognition of a former colleague and a gentleman Pat Cassidy and all the other deceased organ donors who have saved lives through transplantation and to be able to support the Irish Kidney Association in highlighting Organ Donor Awareness Week. Special thanks to my fellow Defence Forces colleagues Captain Andrew Fry from the Air Corps and Lieutenant Colm Fox from the Naval Service. The Air Corps transports organ donor patients as one of its many roles. We are here to demonstrate the collective solidarity amongst Defence Forces' personnel in support of organ donation”.
The focus of Organ Donor Awareness Week which takes place from 30 March until 6 April is to remind individuals to talk to their families about their organ donation wishes and keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the Organ Donor Card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their driver’s licence and having the ‘digital organ donor card’ APP on their smartphone.
At the campaign’s national launch Mr. Mark Murphy, Chief Executive of the Irish Kidney Association said, “we must never forget the selfless generosity of the families of deceased donors and it is thanks to 81 donors in 2018 that 234 organ transplants could take place. An additional 40 living donor kidney transplants took place at Beaumont Hospital There were a further six HSE funded transplants in the UK, three through the Paired Kidney Exchange Programme and three pediatric heart transplants on Irish children”.
In 2018, the 81 deceased donors led to 56 liver and 5 pancreas transplants being carried out at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. The Mater Hospital carried out 18 heart transplants as well as 28 lung transplants. A total of 167 kidney transplants were carried out at Beaumont Hospital including 40 living donor kidney transplants.
The number of people on transplant waiting for pools for all organs including kidney, heart, lung, liver and pancreas is approximately 550. In total there were 2,124 patients receiving dialysis treatment in 2018 representing an increase of 50 extra dialysis patients in the year.
Organ Donor Cards can also be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. You can also visit the website www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or download a free ‘digital organ donor card’ APP to your phone.
