Loveis.. the giftoflife forBrendan
LOUTH MAN WAS GIVEN GIFT OF A KIDNEY BY HIS WIFE IN MIRACLE MATCH
IT was the gift of life that made this Valentines day the most memorable of all for North Louth man Brendan ‘Jack’ Shields.
Jack, who has been living in Belfast for many years, underwent a second kidney transplant last week, almost thirty years after the first operation.
But this time, the transplant was the result of a ‘miracle’ donor match with his wife Breda.
The couple went under the knife at Belfast’s City Hospital last week, and celebrated the incredible success of the donor and transplant operations on Valentines Day.
Originally from Carlingford, Jack was only in his early 30s when he first became ill. But a transplant then saved his life for the first time.
Speaking to the Argus, his sister Anne explained: ‘When he had the kidney transplant done the first time, which will be thirty years this November, he had been living in New York, and became very seriously ill.’
She added that his condition, renal failure, was unknown at the time, and he had been found on a street in New York critically ill.
But when he returned home, Jack was fortunate that a match had been found, and he had a successful transplant.
‘It took a long time to recover then from that operation,’ said Anne.
‘And he was told that it may only last ten years, maybe fifteen at most.’
‘But he has been well for nearly thirty years, which is incredible,’ she added.
He married his long term love, Breda, and they settled in Belfast, where they raised their son.
Anne explained that it was only in recent times that he became ill again, and it was clear that he was in need of a kidney transplant again.
‘Breda was tested, and they found she was a match, which they couldn’t believe as it is apparently more difficult to find a suitable match from a non blood relative.’
She added that time was not on Jack’s side as his kidney function had dropped to around 11% and he was on the verge of needing dialysis to stay alive.
‘But after the match was confirmed they were booked for surgery in the City Hospital in Belfast last week.’
‘Breda’s operation took over three hours, and my brother’s a lot longer,’ said Anne.
But, having travelled to the hospital with her sisters the following day, she said they were ‘amazed’ at how quickly both were recovering.
‘ The colour was coming back in to Jack’s face almost straight away, it was just incredible.’
‘ There was such a difference since the first operation he had thirty years ago, when we could only see him through a glass screen as he was in isolation. This time, a day or two after his transplant we were able to give him a hug.’
She added that the couple were delighted to celebrate Valentines day together, with Jack’s health outlook so vastly improved.
‘He keeps saying that he feels as if he won the lotto three times, first when he met Breda, then when he had his first transplant, and thirdly when she was able to donate a kidney to him which has saved his life.’
HE FEELS HE HAS WON THE LOTTO THREE TIMES, MEETING HIS WIFE BREDA, AND UNDERGOING TWO KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS