Sofia, 7, gets first Easter egg following life-changing transplant

Sofia Corey got to taste her first ever Easter egg this weekend. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

A seven-year-old from Dublin had an Easter Sunday to remember when she got to taste her very first chocolate Easter egg.

Sofia Corey had been a kidney patient since shortly after her birth, meaning that she had never had chocolate due to diet restrictions.

However, during Christmas week last year, she received a life-changing transplant.

Sofia’s mother says that she has since “developed a fondness for chocolate”.

Mom, Elaine McElroy, and dad, Daniel Corey, are sharing Sofia’s story to highlight Organ Donor Awareness Week 2021 which is organised by the Irish Kidney Association.

She was born prematurely and at seven weeks old was diagnosed with a kidney condition called Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome.

At six months, she had one kidney removed. When she was two, her parents were trained to give her nightly dialysis treatment which she underwent at home for twelve hours at a time.

This continued for more than four years until she was called for her kidney transplant last Christmas.

Elaine explained that they had to wait until Sofia was 12kg in weight and 90cm in length in order to be accepted onto the transplant waiting list.

“She was five years old before she reached the required size,” Elaine said.

Sofia in hospital.

“Daniel and I began the screening process for living donation which turned out to be unsuccessful.” 

Elaine said that they were "extremely disappointed” the neither of them were a suitable match for their daughter.

She said they can “never thank the donor family enough” for transforming Sofia’s life.

Elaine said that her daughter has been cocooning due to Covid-19 and has been forced to spend time away from her school friends.

She said that the kidney donation gives Sofia a chance at a “normal childhood”.

Elaine said: “We hope that by this September Sofia can be reunited with her school friends when she starts first class, who she hasn’t seen for over a year because she has been cocooning with just me and her dad.

She can now look forward to a normal childhood and like most kids she has developed a fondness for chocolate. This will be her first Easter to enjoy Easter eggs, just like her friends.

“She is totally free from dialysis now and we are starting to see her appetite improve and she is much more active now. She no longer has diet and fluid restrictions.” 

Elaine said the fluid restrictions were particularly tough in the summer months.

“She was confined to just 200mls of water which we would have to make up in ice cubes to try to prolong her enjoyment when she was thirsty.” 

Sofia Corey received a kidney transplant last year. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

Sofia had her dialysis line removed from her chest on Good Friday and has already planned to go swimming.

Elaine added that they are planning on getting a paddling pool for the sunny weather, which is “something she has never been able to enjoy before when she had a dialysis line”.

She said: “I would urge everyone to try to understand the importance of organ donation.

“A donor has given Sofia a chance to have a normal childhood.

“Our family will never be able to describe how grateful we are for this.”

Organ Donor Awareness Week 2021 is organised by the Irish Kidney Association and it concludes this weekend.