Donating her son’s kidneys has changed two people’s lives

A TALLAGHT mother has shared how donating her son’s kidneys after he suddenly passed away has enabled him to “help people even after his death”.

Betty Morgan, from Rossfield in Tallaght, decided to share her experience of organ donation after reading an article in The Echo two weeks ago about Organ Donor Awareness Week.

Her son, Eamon Morgan, passed away in December 2021 at age 44 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Eamon had never spoken about organ donation before, but his family were asked when he was on life support in St James’s Hospital if they would consider donating his kidneys.

“We hadn’t discussed it with him, but Eamon always gave to people,” Betty told The Echo.

“When we were approached in hospital, we sat around as a family and held Eamon’s hand and said it’s something he’d like – he’d love to help people, even after his death.

“It was an easy decision to make, because of the way Eamon was in life, and it’s given me so much consolation to know that he’s saved two people’s lives.

“We’re very lucky in the sense that we can correspond with the two people who got his kidneys, they just say how grateful they are, and how Eamon has changed their lives.

“They’ve gone from having to do dialysis three or four times a week to now living a normal life.”

Eamon’s loss is still keenly felt by his family, and Betty spoke about his love of football, in particular his beloved Arsenal.

Music was another important part of his life, and he had a particular love for ballads and ‘Fairytale of New York’ was played as his coffin was lowered in the crematorium, and he also enjoyed angling.

His favourite fishing spot was in Kilbride in Wicklow, and after he passed away his family decided to scatter his ashes there.

“There’s a river running through there, so we scattered his ashes there,” added Betty. “We brought all the kids and we let off balloons and had a lovely day.”

Betty recalled that her son, who was a past pupil of St Aidan’s Community School and St Thomas’s National School, wasn’t particularly academic but enjoyed school, nonetheless.

“He loved school, but he didn’t love to be in class,” she said. “He was no trouble, but he wasn’t academic. He loved helping the teachers and doing things outside the classroom.

“His principal called him a lovable rogue…and if he could do a good turn for you, he’d do it.”

Eamon’s final good turn of donating his organs is a point of pride for his family, as it means he lives on in the people whose lives he saved by donating his kidneys.

“Knowing that keeps us going, even when we have bad times and bad days,” said Betty.

“I’d just encourage people to think of organ donation; it’s vital.

“We get so much consolation knowing that Eamon is still living on, and other people can live as normal a life as possible because of his donation.”

Betty added that she and her family all have organ donation cards, and cards can be registered for free on the Irish Kidney Association’s website.

“It’s still very raw, it’s only been two years since Eamon died,” said Betty. “But we’re very happy that we decided to donate his organs.”