Gentleman Lenny always put interests of others first

A strong advocate of organ donation and member of Transplant Sport Ireland, Leonard (Lenny) Ryan will be remembered for his “constant willingness to help.”

Lenny, from Tymonville, Tallaght passed away on Tuesday, May 6 at 45-years-old, after two kidney transplants and 16 years of full-time volunteering with the Irish Kidney Association.

“A selfless gentleman who always put the interests of others first,” and “a loyal servant to the kidney community,” was how the IKA remembered Lenny in an emotional message shared online.

Beloved son of the late Mick and Kathleen, Lenny suffered from kidney failure and underwent two kidney transplants in 2008 and 2014.

In 2009 he first joined the IKA as part of a training scheme that helped kidney recipients go back to the workforce, and he never left.

“A year after, when the scheme finished, he said, ‘Would you mind if I stay?’ and has been in five days a week ever since, purely on a voluntary basis,” said Colin White, National Advocacy and Projects Manager at the IKA.

“He was a dear friend and colleague for 16 years. He had a constant willingness to help. If something came up in the office, he always said, ‘I can do that.’

“He even stepped in as a receptionist when we needed one. He wasn’t your typical receptionist. No telephone voice or formality, but he won people over so quickly just out of his genuine nature and heart of gold.”

Lenny took care of processing all the donor card requests that came through IKA, something he advocated for out of his lived experience.

“It was just the willingness to share his own story,” said Colin.

“His way of saying, ‘I’m an ordinary guy and look how my life has been transformed by a complete stranger.

“Lenny honoured his donor and the second chance he got by always giving back.”

A character known by many, Lenny is remembered through many anecdotes due to a “legendary” sense of humour, not being afraid to express his opinions and many medals won at Transplant Games competitions internationally.

“He enjoyed the banter and was best friend with his sports mates, but when he got down to it – especially pétanque and long boules – he got into competition mode and was very good at it,” recalled Colin.

Medals weren’t the only thing he would bring home from the competitions, as he was able to make friends “from the four corners of the world.”

Tarja Timonen, a Finnish woman, wrote on his RIP.ie condolences book, “I was so lucky to have met you at European Transplant Sport Championships in 2016. Although we met only for a few days, the joy of those moments, your beautiful smile, kindness and warm hugs will forever be cherished in my heart.”

Within the IKA, Lenny also took care of making the new members at ease, joining public events with Colin and always keeping up with news and research on kidney medicine.

“He never complained about his condition or about treatment he had to get such as dialysis,” concluded Colin.

“He was philosophical about it, saying ‘it’s keeping me alive and I’m thankful for it.

“It didn’t let it take charge of his life but rather fitted into it.”

Lenny’s send off on Monday, May 12 at St Aengus’s Church, Balrothery, was taken care off by beloved friends Paul McGuire and Ken O’Farrell, who knew him through childhood in Tallaght.

For more information on Organ Donor Awareness Week or on how to get an organ donor card visit www.ika.ie/donorweek/