Newport teen Ali sends special Father's Day love to dad after he donated kidney to her

It will be an extra special Father’s Day this Sunday for a father whose 18-year-old daughter is now enjoying renewed health and freedom from dialysis, made possible by the kidney he donated to her on Independence Day, July 4, 2022. 

With her new lease at life from her kidney failure which blighted most of her teens, Ali Kelly from Newport has more reason than most to celebrate the first transplant anniversary with her doting father Joe Kelly on Father’s Day.

It was a case of third time lucky for the father and daughter as on two occasions previously the scheduled transplant operations at Beaumont Hospital were deferred at the eleventh hour.

On the first two occasions, just two weeks apart, when Joe was prepped and ready to be wheeled down to the operating theatre,  Ali’s unsatisfactory blood results led to the operations being cancelled.

Six weeks after their second disappointment, Joe and Ali’s re-scheduled operations led to a momentously happy outcome.

As this time Ali’s haemoglobin levels were positive, making way for the living donor retrieval and kidney transplant operations which proceeded on July 4.

Now that Ali is independent of her gruelling dialysis treatment, she and her parents Joe and Virginia, both Limerick natives, will be celebrating Father’s Day together with a special meal.

The youngest of four children, Ali was born with a hereditary kidney condition, Polycystic Kidney Disease, which causes cysts to the kidney.

She spent much of her early years at Crumlin Children’s hospital and was tube-fed until the time she was four years old when, following a year of nightly dialysis, she underwent her first kidney transplant.

The transplant was made possible by a deceased donor which allowed Ali to enjoy a normal childhood and early teens.

It wasn’t until Ali was 14 years old that her kidney transplant began to fail causing her to have to return to dialysis treatment at the age of 15 which continued for two-and-a-half years.

Initially the dialysis treatment involved Ali being hooked up to a dialysis machine at home every night for 14 hours.

After almost two years she progressed to hospital-based haemodialysis treatment.

By then she was a patient at Temple Street Children’s Hospital and had to travel there four days a week, to undergo five hours of dialysis treatment, which also involved a four-and-a-half-hour round trip.

This time finding a suitable kidney donor for Ali was complicated by the high antibody levels from her previous transplant and a blood transfusion.

Joe didn’t hesitate to put himself forward to be screened as a potential living kidney donor.

In describing his delight that the transplant has been a success, Joe said: “It is life changing for all of us. It’s so rewarding for our family to see Ali enjoying good health and getting her life back.

"There was no sacrifice on my part. It was awful to watch her struggle and donating my ‘spare’ kidney to her was the easiest decision to make.

"I bounced back within weeks of the operation and I am overjoyed to see how well she is doing now.  She is flying!

"Before, while the dialysis treatment had kept her alive and she seldom complained, it took its toll on not just her physical health, but her mental health too.

"It was difficult to see her missing out on spending time with her peers, making new friends, and it was very disruptive to her education.”

Joe explained, “It was also very disruptive for the whole family.  When a family member is sick it affects everyone.

"Ali’s mother Virginia also put herself forward to be Ali’s kidney donor but she wasn’t a suitable match. Virginia did the lion’s share of caring for Ali since she was born.

"Virginia brought her to Dublin on three weekdays for her treatment, while I continued working, and I brought Ali on Saturdays. We had little family time and it was mentally draining on all of us.

"When Covid-19 arrived, Ali was more vulnerable to the impact of the virus.  It caused even further isolation and absence from school and time away from friends. The whole family had to be very vigilant in trying to avoid bringing Covid into the home.

"She has missed out on a big chunk of her teens and has decided not to return to secondary school and is now ready to enter the workforce and is considering her options. She is very resilient, and we are all very proud of her and enjoy watching her grow into a young independent woman with her whole life ahead of her.

"We have had a good support network of family and friends to help, and the medical profession have been outstanding in their care of Ali. Beaumont Hospital’s transplant team have been exceptional also. The Irish Kidney Association has also offered great support and advice."

With a new spring in her step Ali said: “I feel great now. I have loads of energy. Before my transplant I was so weak and could barely walk from one room to another without being out of breath. I can now leave the house without feeling exhausted.

"My diet and fluid are not restricted anymore, and I can really enjoy my food now. I no longer have tubes attached to my body and I am not feeling as self-conscious.

"It’s great that I can wear whatever clothes I want now, not having to consider my weight fluctuating or experiencing bloating. I have always had an interest in fashion and beauty and now that I am well enough I am looking into a career as a beauty technician.”

Ali continued, “Celebrating Father’s Day this year will be extra special for me and my dad. It’s hard to find the words to express my gratitude to him for giving me my life back but I know he understands how grateful I am.

"Donating a kidney to me was the best gift I could ever have hoped for. I love him with all my heart and my mother also. They have always put my needs before theirs.

"I’d like to thank my whole family, my twin brothers, my sister Jody and my two nanas, who have always been there for me and to my friends who stuck with me, especially to Kelsie my ‘go to’ friend, who is a great listener and support. I’d also like to say thanks to all the medical and nursing teams in the three hospitals that looked after me so well down through the years.”

Remembering her first organ donor, Ali said, “Although I was only four years old when I got my first transplant, now that I am older, I can appreciate what my kidney donor and their family did for me, and they will always be in my thoughts, as I enjoyed 10 years of good health as a child.

“Life is good for me now and I intend to make the most of the chances that have been given to me. I hope that by sharing my story that people will understand how important organ donation is.”

Individuals who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to Share their Wishes with their family and keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their driver’s licence or having the digital organ donor card App on their smartphone.

Organ Donor Cards can be requested by visiting the IKA website www.ika.ie/ get-a-donor-card or phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01-6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050.