So many wonderful milestones for Brian Sheehy - thanks to a kidney transplant

A wedding, a daughter, a new job: Brian and Sarah will have candles to remember his deceased donor and his own brother whose organs were donated. And his uncle Mike, who was a living donor, will be at their wedding

Brian Sheehy, Athea, with fianceé Sarah — they are to be married in June

The extended Sheehy family in Limerick and Kerry are well aware of the range of emotions that organ donation can trigger — they have experienced the joy of a new lease of life following a transplant and they have also made the heartbreaking decision to donate a teenager's organs.

Patrick Sheehy was just 18 years old when he was killed in a road traffic collision. His family donated his organs at the time in August 2005 and saved six lives. 

Then, just a month later, Patrick's brother, Brian, got a kidney transplant thanks to the decision of another family of a deceased organ donor. 

Nearly a decade later, when Brian again needed a kidney transplant, his uncle, Mike Sheehy, 54, from Listowel in County Kerry donated a kidney. 

Brian Sheehy, 33, from Athea in County Limerick now has an 11-year-old daughter, Kayla, and is getting set to marry Sarah Reidy on the June Bank Holiday weekend.

Uncle, Mike Sheehy, a father of three, will be in the wedding congregation at Sarah's parish church in Ardagh, County Limerick in June, along with his wife Rose and Laura, 24; Mairead, 22 and Rosie, 19.

Mike Sheehy, from Ballahadigue, Listowel with his nephew Brian Sheehy, Athea. Mike, a father of three, donated one of his kidneys to Brian in August 2014

Brian explained: "I'm feeling on top of the world now and I have Mike to thank for it. The transplant has given me my life back. It allowed me to go back to work, save for a house with Sarah, plan ahead and play an active role in my daughter's life. The whole extended family will be attending our wedding celebration in June."

And the donors, living and deceased, will be celebrated with candles at the ceremony, which will also be attended by Brian's parents, Margaret and Richard: "While we exchange vows we will have three candles lit, one candle will be for the deceased donor who gave me my life back as a teenager and we will also remember my brother Patrick and have a photo of him at our wedding reception. We'll also be raising a glass for Mike who got me to this point."

Brian and Sarah hold a photo of Brian's late brother, Patrick. Following a road traffic collision, Patrick became an organ donor in August 2005, saving six lives

Mike explains why he became a living donor: "Although I didn't see Brian frequently when he was a child, as I was busy raising my family in another county, I knew about his plight and that and I was happy to put myself forward to be screened to be a living kidney donor. It was an honour to be able to donate a kidney to him and I want to thank my wife Rose for fully supporting me with this decision."

Brian met Sarah while studying for a Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology at Tralee Institute of Technology. The couple welcomed baby Kayla a few years later and following the kidney donation by his uncle Mike the couple went on to buy their own home together. Brian starts a new job next week as a clerical officer in Limerick City and County Council.

Brian was born in Melbourne and was diagnosed soon after his birth with Posterior Urethral Valve Syndrome which blocks the flow of urine and damages the kidneys. His family returned to Ireland when he was three and he spent much of his childhood and early teens in Crumlin Children's Hospital.

The family is sharing their story for Organ Donor Awareness week, which is organised by the Irish Kidney Association in association with Organ Donation Transplant Ireland, and which comes to a close tomorrow (Saturday).

• People who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to Share Their Wishes and keep reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their driver’s licence or having the ‘digital organ donor card’ App on their smartphone.
• Organ Donor Cards can be requested by visiting ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or call the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or free text the word DONOR to 50050