‘Getting a transplant would mean I could get my life back on track’

By Mary Dennehy

LISA Carney’s dreams of getting married, buying a house and having a family have been “on pause” since she was placed on the kidney transplant list last September, with the Tallaght 28-year-old encouraging members of the public to sign-up for an organ donor card.

Living in Raheen, Lisa never experienced problems with her kidneys until 2014, when a visit to her GP with a swollen face and legs saw her diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome – a condition which involves the leaking of protein from the kidneys.

Lisa told The Echo: “It just happened really suddenly.

“My legs starting swelling first and then one morning when I woke up, my face was swollen too.

“I went to my doctor and she detected protein in my urine and after blood tests in the hospital and a biopsy on my kidneys, I was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome.”

Lisa was placed on a number of different treatment plans, however the swelling remained and her kidney function continued to reduce.

Lisa, who, growing up in Tymon North, is a former student of Tallaght Community School, said: “Nothing worked for me, so in September 2016 I was put on dialysis and placed on the kidney transplant list.

“It was a bit of a shock to be honest and I had to take a break from work, it was just too hard juggling a full-time job with dialysis three days a week.”

She added: “Some days I am so tired, I wake up and just want the day to be over so I crawl back into bed.

“However, I don’t always have bad days and when I get a burst of energy, I make the most of it.

“I would love to get my life back on track, but it will be on pause until I get my kidney transplant.

“Getting a transplant would mean that I could get my life back on track, I could go back to my job and look forward to buying a house with my fiancé Joseph and having a family . . . that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Lisa spoke with The Echo ahead of the Irish Kidney Association’s Organ Donor Awareness Week, which will run from April 1 to April 8, during which the key message encourages people to have a discussion with their family and friends about their wishes in relation to organ donation.

“Since I’ve been sick, all of my family and friends signed up for a donor card,” Lisa said.

“I don’t see why someone wouldn’t sign up for a donor card and give somebody else a second chance, and that’s why I think it’s very important that people talk with their family and friends about their wishes around organ donation.”

To request an organ donor card from the Irish Kidney Association freetext DONOR to 50050, download the organ donor ecard from the Google Play Store or the i-store or visit www.ika.ie/card