Leaving Cert student from Carlow honours her kidney donor at national remembrance service

Amber O'Rourke, a Leaving Cert student and kidney transplant recipient from Carlow, was among the hundreds of people who attended the Irish Kidney Association's 40th Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving in Dublin last weekend.

The Irish Kidney Association hosted its 40th Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving last Saturday, 27 September at the Church of the Holy Child in Whitehall, Dublin, with over 1,500 people from across Ireland and abroad gathering at the event to honour deceased organ donors and their families as well as celebrate the renewed lives of transplant recipients. 

Now in its 40th year, the annual service has become a deeply meaningful gathering for donor families and organ transplant recipients, many of whom attend every year to reflect, remember, and give thanks.

Among those at this year's service, was 17-year-old Amber O'Rourke from Brownshill Road, Carlow. Young Amber was a kidney transplant recipient and took part in the procession carrying a photo of her with her kidney donor Anne Marie Byrne on the first anniversary of their successful living donor kidney transplant operations in 2017.

READ NEXT: RIP: 'A lady of such elegance'- Tributes paid to popular Carlow lady who sadly died

The ceremony brought together celebrants from various faith traditions and non-religious worldviews, each celebrating and supporting organ donation.

President Michael D. Higgins, patron to the Irish Kidney Association, wrote a letter of support for the service which was read aloud by Colin White, husband of a dialysis patient and National Advocacy & Projects Manager for the Irish Kidney Association.

In the President’s message he said: "On this 40th anniversary of the Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving, may I extend my support and thanksgiving for the great gift of organ donation, which has transformed and enriched so many lives, allowing new possibilities and new opportunities for recipients and their loved ones."

The poignant yet hopeful service was also attended by the eminent retired transplant surgeon David Hickey, and former All Ireland winning Dublin footballer, who performed over 1,500 transplants during his distinguished career, spanning 1986 to 2015, and pioneered pancreas transplantation in Ireland.

The surgeon and footballer read a reflection during the service and spoke about how in a world of so much darkness the service demonstrated how a bright light could re-emerge. He also met with a Mayo woman who underwent a kidney transplant in 2011 with Hickey as her surgeon.