Mother offers kidney during radio show

A STRANGER offered her kidney to a Dublin family during a live radio showyesterday.

The offer came after a woman admitted she would let her son appear on a reality show that presented him with a chance of getting a transplant.

Ms Maryka DuToit, a mother of two young children, living in Adamstown, Co Wexford, telephoned the Gerry Ryan Show offering her organ to a woman called Annemarie, who said her 20-year-old son had been waiting two years for a transplant.

Ms DuToit, aged 25, from South Africa who has been living in Ireland for the past 18 months, said she was moved by her story.

“Annemarie’s son is only 20 years old. His life is supposed to be starting now, not ending,” said Ms DuToit.

She was very disappointed, however, when told after the show that Ireland’s live kidney transplant programme only allowed blood relatives to donate organs.

Ms DuToit, who carries an organ donor card, said she was still willing to be tested to see if her kidney was suitable, in the event of the family being unable to find a relative donor.

Irish Donor Network chairman Mark Murphy sympathised with Annemarie.

“Her radio interview showed how desperate she felt about her son’s situation,” he said.

Earlier this week, Mr Murphy, who is also chief executive of the Irish Kidney Association, lambasted a Dutch reality TV show in which the public will help a terminally ill woman select a recipient for one of her kidneys. Called The Big Donor Show, it will air today despite calls from the Dutch government to stop it being broadcast.

Annemarie said that while she was appalled by the reality show and did not think it would increase donations, she was prepared to do anything for her son so he could enjoy a better quality of life.

Mr Murphy believed it was unlikely the kidney would be taken from the woman being featured on the reality show because she was suffering from cancer.

He said many countries now considered people who were non-related, butemotionally attached, as live organ donors.

He suggested Ireland should do the same.

Mr Murphy said that once the State’s living transplantation programme becameestablished, the use of organs from close friends as well as family members should be considered.

Almost 500 people are awaiting kidney transplants and a further 1,500 are on dialysis.

Mr Murphy pointed out that 15 of the 200 kidney transplants expected to be carried out this year would be live donations.

Last year, four live kidney transplants were carried out. Fifteen are planned for this year and 30 for 2008.

Mr Murphy said the live donor programme stalled, earlier this year due to lack of facilities and medical staff but was due to recommence in August. While it was great that complete strangers offered their kidneys it was an issue many countries were very wary of.

He said some hospitals in the US took kidneys from strangers but they were carefully assessed before the organs were removed toensure they were doing it for the right reasons.