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our miracle baby. I wouldn’t have Proud to be Ireland’s Tadhg McElroy with Santa
been able to have children while on original Christmas station,
dialysis. We are besotted with her and Radio Snowflake enjoyed a
it is all thanks to organ donation.” large following in the
Five year old Tadhg McElroy from 1980s broadcasting on FM
Bray was delighted to meet Santa at and AM. With the
the photocall along with his family emergence of online
including his kidney donor mother broadcast platforms, the
Clidhna, his father Terry and six month station resurrected in 2013
old baby sibling twins Donagh and under the management of
Caoila. Tadhg had been receiving David Baker who is best
dialysis treatment at Temple Street known in his native Ireland
Children’s Hospital since he was just for his nightly shows on
six months old until April 2014 when Kfm in Kildare and he has
Clidhna donated a kidney to him. also worked for several
Another happy family event followed years on radio in the UK.
when Clidhna gave birth to twins in Radio Snowflake has
May this year. Since then Tadhg’s supported other worthy
grandmother, Evelyn, has been put on causes with The Samaritans
the transplant list waiting for a kidney. chosen as last year’s charity
Speaking about his son Tadhg’s partner. David said, “I’m looking the IKA and we plan to create great
kidney transplant, Terry McElroy said, forward to bringing the sound of awareness about the work it does over
“our family has been affected twice Christmas back. I believe our style is the station’s 26 day run. From all
by kidney failure. First, from the day unique and it is different. Whilst we accounts by the people who work
our son, Tadhg, was born in 2011 and will play great favorites that everyone there, day to day, to families who have
now with my mother Evelyn, aged 69. knows, the sound won’t be tacky and been called for a lifesaving organ
For both of them haemodialysis was predictable and full of Christmas transplant, there will be some real
required to keep them alive and while cracker jokes. It is a station everyone heart rending stories to hear. We hope
it does that, it is no substitute for will enjoy and is the perfect mix for that people will share in our
what is really required to live a normal Christmas with top quality presenters. celebration of Christmas by enjoying
life and that is a kidney transplant. In We are supporting a fantastic cause in everything the station has to offer.”
Tadhg’s case we were exceptionally
lucky that my wife, Clidhna, was a
match for a lifesaving kidney donation
to Tadhg who was successfully
transplanted in 2014 at the age of just
2½ years old and he is now thriving. It
is also thanks to the amazing teams at
Temple Street, Beaumont and the IKA
that helped to make this possible. My
mother is on the transplant waiting
list since October 2016 and
desperately needs a kidney from a
matching donor to improve her quality
of life. Having seen first-hand the
difference a kidney transplant makes,
I would like to urge everyone to carry
a donor card so that other people,
including my mother, can be given a
chance to live their lives to the full.”
Also attending the photocall and
grateful to their deceased donors for
their kidney transplants were
Dubliners Harry Ward from Baldoyle,
Patricia McKenzie from Portmarnock DIT Rowing Club were out in the cold on Saturday November 26th fundraising for the IKA,
and Colette Fennelly from with a Rowathon. Passersby were challenged to row as fast as they could for 100m, with
Bishopstown, Cork who stayed at the some producing impressive results.
IKA’s Renal Support Centre, when her “It is great to be able to help such a worthwhile organisation. The IKA provides crucial
husband Don was undergoing a assistance to families who are affected by kidney failure. Some of our own members have
kidney transplant at Beaumont experienced the wonderful support provided by them, so we were delighted to be able to
Hospital, in September 2016, his use our sport to help fundraise,” said Vice Captain Rebekah Tunstead.
second transplant from a deceased €470 has been raised to date - and a final total will be announced in the next issue of
organ donor, having undergone his SUPPORT. Well done to everyone!
first transplant in 2002.
IKA S UPPORT W INTER 2016 31