Donating blood and platelets saved my son Callan’s life
By Mary Dennehy
WHEN local dad Vincent Donegan started donating blood and platelets at the age of 18 he never could have imagined that one day donors like him would save his son’s life.
Living in Kingswood, Vincent (46) has been donating blood and platelets for close on 30 years, during which time he has made 320 donations – which have helped save the lives of hundreds of people, including babies.
Vincent’s blood type is a match for 46 per cent of the Irish population.
However, his platelets, which are extremely rare, are a match for babies while they’re still in the womb and newborns – with only 15 people in Ireland currently donating this type of platelet.
Vincent, who is a firefighter based in Tallaght Fire Station, told The Echo: “My mam always donated blood and when I turned 18 I started.
“I always felt that donating blood was something important that I could do to help others at no cost to myself.
“However, when my son Callan was diagnosed with leukaemia, it really brought home the lifesaving importance of donating blood and platelets.”
When Vincent’s son Callan started primary school in 1998, the four-year-old began to feel unwell and after a visit to hospital was diagnosed with leukaemia.
“During Callan’s first week in primary school he started to feel unwell and we took him straight to the doctor”, Vincent said.
“We were then sent to Our Lady’s Children’s hospital and after a few hours told that our son had leukaemia.
“He was so sick looking and his complexion was grey but I remember after he got platelets he was brand new, the transformation was unbelievable.
“Those platelets saved Callan’s life.”
Vincent, who had donated blood and platelets at Our Lady’s Hospital for a number of years before moving to the National Blood Centre at St James’s Hospital, added: “In the first six months after Callan’s diagnosis he regularly got blood and platelets and without them he would be dead.
“The blood and platelets made him strong enough to undergo four years of chemo and now Callan is like any 12-year-old playing football and getting up to mischief.”
This month, Callan started his first week in Kingswood Community College, an important milestone for the young lad, his parents and his 10-year-old sister Evie.
“No medication or treatment would have worked for Callan if he didn’t get those platelets”, Vincent said.
“Since Callan got sick I really see the value in donating blood and platelets and as a donor I felt very proud and also elated that someone took time out of their day to do this for my son.
“There isn’t as much awareness around blood and platelet donations as there needs to be, there’s only between 2,200 and 2,400 regular platelet donors in the country.”
He added: “I think fear is probably the number one reason why people don’t donate blood or platelets.
“It doesn’t hurt and I’d encourage people to just do it
“You will save lives and you never know when you or someone very close to you needs it.
“I never could have imagined that my son would end up needing platelets. Callan being sick showed me first-hand the life-saving difference donating blood and platelets can make and I’ll keep donating for as long as I can.”
For further information visit the Irish Blood Transfusion Service’s Facebook page or visit www.giveblood.ie. In relation to the multi-games wall in Lucan, a location is being considered for circulation to the Lucan Area Committee.
