Ted’s legacy inspired hope in many patients
By Brendan Grehan
OVER fifty years ago people with chronic kidney failure had little chance of survival with no treatment available to them at that time. On December 19, 1963, Ted Tobin, a young man from Crumlin made Irish medical history.
He underwent Ireland’s first ever kidney transplant operation at the old St Vincent’s Hospital, located at St. Stephen’s Green. Over half a century later his niece, Fiona O’Donovan, underwent a successful transplant 4000 miles away in the United States.
The Tobin family meeting President Michael D Higgins and wife Sabina at Aras an Uachtarain
While she was waiting for the results of her pre-transplant final tests for what’s now considered to be a fairly routine operation, Fiona thought of her uncle Ted who bravely faced the first ever kidney transplant surgery in Ireland with uncertain outcomes.
As it was Organ Donor Awareness Week recently Fiona and Ted’s brother and sisters (Paul, Jean and Sylvia) would now like to share his story and celebrate Ted’s life and legacy which has “inspired hope in many patients with end stage renal failure”.
Fiona said, “Few people in the medical and transplant world today know little about this courageous 21 year old Dubliner who helped advance medical knowledge and inspired hope in many patients with end stage renal failure including myself and members of my family who ultimately followed in his footsteps.”
Unsung hero
Fiona said, “For myself and my family, Ted is an unsung hero who not only contributed to the medical understanding of early kidney transplantation, but also gave hope to both patients and the medical community about the possibilities of what ultimately could be achieved.”
Sadly just two months after Ted’s operation he passed away on February 16, 1964. His hopes to attend his sister’s (Fiona’s mother) wedding two months later were not realised.
Ted passed away from a setback resulting in the rejection of the donated kidney. The doctors were granted permission by Ted’s parents (Fiona’s grandparents) Eddie and Rosanne Tobin to do a post mortem to find out more about the kidney failure which might help other kidney patients.
Ted Tobin
A press release issued by St. Vincent’s Hospital at the time stated “The partial success and ultimate failure of this attempt emphasises both hope for the future and the difficulties involved”.
The statement also added “it was clear that the techniques in the operation gave hope to some other cases of otherwise irreversible kidney failure”.
Organ Donor Cards can also be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Freetext the word DONOR to 50050. Visit www.ika.ie for more information.
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