One of country’s youngest transplant patients dies

A WOMAN who survived leukaemia before becoming one of the country’s youngest heart transplant patients has died.

Courageous Kate O’Leary-Keating, from Cloghroe, Co Cork, died peacefully at the Mater Hospital in Dublin after a short illness on Wednesday night. She was 22.

The UCC law graduate was studying at Blackhall Place to become a solicitor.

She is survived by her parents, John and Kathleen Anne, and younger brother Jack.

Kate became one of the country’s youngest heart transplant patients when in July 1991, at the age of eight, she underwent the life-saving operation at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children.

She regained consciousness five days after the operation and returned home just five weeks later.

Less than a year later, she would win gold at the Transplant Olympics.

Her former school principal at Cloghroe NS, Padraig O’Connell, paid tribute to her yesterday.

“To meet her you would not have known that she had battled illness. She was an admirable character who had a kind word for everyone,” he said.

Kate bravely battled illness from an early age.

When she was two, she became the first person to receive a bone marrow transplant at Cork’s Mercy Hospital after a massive fundraising effort by friends and family raised £16,000.

Kate’s need for a heart transplant came to light after the strain of having to receive chemotherapy treatment when she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Her heart condition worsened in early 1991 and when doctors discovered it was inoperable, she was put on the priority waiting list for a transplant.

New drugs seemed to be having a positive effect on her and she even managed to make her First Holy Communion.

But three weeks later her condition worsened.

Then the call came that a donor heart had been found.

Kate was admitted to Great Ormond Street on July 1, 1991.

Surgeons requested that a team of Irish nurses assisted during the three-hour transplant operation.

After some minor complications in the hours after the procedure, Kate began to make progress.

John and Kathleen Anne maintained a constant bedside vigil.

Tragically, Kate’s grandmother died while she was in hospital.

But Kate’s recovery continued and the family returned to Cork for an emotional homecoming on August 12.

Less than a year later, Kate won a gold medal in the long jump event at the Transplant Olympics in England.

Watched by her proud parents, she jumped 2.79 metres on her fourth jump in the eight-to-11-year-old category to beat her fellow competitors, some of whom were three years older.

She also took fourth place in the 50m dash behind three 11-year-olds.

“I didn’t expect to do very well even though I had done a little bit of practice at home,” Kate said then.

Last night, local priest Fr Donal Coakley said the thoughts and prayers of the community were with Kate’s family.

Kate’s body will be received to St Senan’s Church in Cloghroe tonight at 7pm.

She will be buried at Inniscarra following Requeim Mass at 2pm tomorrow.