Cork kidney recipient 'couldn't be more thankful' to donor after long-awaited surgery

'I’m proud of myself for getting through it but, at the same time, I didn’t have a choice,' 16-year-old Kieran Harkins told the 'Irish Examiner'

Kieran Harkins and mum Ger 'will forever be grateful' to the organ donor for giving Kieran back his life. Picture: David Creedon

A 16-year-old boy who underwent a long-awaited kidney transplant has said he is forever grateful to his organ donor's family for giving him his life back.

Kieran Harkins spent eight months on the waiting list before having surgery recently in Dublin's Beaumont Hospital. 

While the identity of organ donors is not disclosed to recipients' families, Kieran said his kidney came from a person around the same age as him. He thanked the family of his donor for showing such immense courage at a very difficult time in their own lives.

"I'm unbelievably grateful for what this family have given me," he told the Irish Examiner. 

"I wasn't sure when I'd get that call, but it's finally happened thanks to them."

It has been a long road for Kieran, whose story made the headlines last January when the army had to transport him from his home in Bweeng so he could undergo dialysis in Cork University Hospital. 

The fifth year student of Mallow's Davis College had been attending the hospital three times a week for life-saving dialysis. However, the Defence Forces were brought in to transport Kieran that day when heavy snowfall made the roads impassable.

Kieran Harkins and his mother Ger were helped by Stephen from the army to make a medical appointment in January.

Kieran had been undergoing four-hour dialysis sessions over an 18-month period. Nonetheless, he only received a place on the transplant list eight months ago.

Since that time, he had been anxiously awaiting that all important phone call from the national transplant team at Beaumont Hospital. 

That call finally came while Kieran was settling into bed at around midnight. The first thing Kieran did was tell his mother Ger, who “screamed with excitement”.

You think that call is never going to come, but it ends up coming when you least expect it

"I phoned my favourite taxi driver Vijay, from Cork Taxi Co-op, because he was the one I wanted to take me to Dublin," Kieran said.

"He was very happy when he arrived to collect me and gave me a big hug. My mum came with me, and it felt like we were up to Dublin in no time.” 

Renal kidney failure

Kieran, whose health deteriorated due to renal kidney failure, said he was extremely limited in terms of what he could do before the transplant.

“When you’re on dialysis, you can’t move for four hours — which is pretty boring," Kieran added.

"I spent a lot of my time watching repeats of GAA matches. I can drink and eat anything I want now, whereas before I was on a no salt diet. 

When I was staying in the hotel, mum brought me over a double cheeseburger, chips, and a curry dip. It was class to finally be able to eat Supermac's

The teenager has been praised for being upbeat and positive, despite all the challenges he faced.

Kieran Harkins: 'When you’re on dialysis, you can’t move for four hours — which is pretty boring.' Picture: David Creedon

“I was positive and didn’t really have bad days. I had a good attitude and also a good mum, which helped a lot. I’m proud of myself for getting through it but, at the same time, I didn’t have a choice.” 

Kieran is now looking forward to pursuing his dreams.

“I’d really like to be a plumber one day,” he told the Irish Examiner. 

“My dad’s best friend is a plumber, and I’d love to go working with him someday.” 

Meanwhile, Kieran’s mum Ger paid tribute to the family who made her son’s second chance at life possible.

“Only for them we wouldn’t be in the position we are in,” she said. 

“We will be grateful to them for the rest of our lives. We know the kidney came from a young person so, while we are here experiencing all this joy, there is another family out there broken hearted. 

"Over the next few months, their pain will be so consuming that I’m not sure what they’ve done for us will be any kind of comfort to them. We couldn’t be more thankful to them for the courage they have shown at such a horrific time in their lives."