Despite the difficulties faced by organ donation and transplant services during the Covid pandemic, 203 organ transplants were carried out last year, thanks to the generosity of 99 organ donors and their families.

According to Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI), 203 transplants took place in the three national transplant centres in 2021 – 137 kidney, 34 liver, 20 lung, 10 heart and two pancreas.

A total of 99 donors made these transplants possible – 64 deceased and 35 living donors.

“Throughout the last 18 months we have worked to try to ensure that we can continue to offer organ donation and to maintain transplant programmes. Intensive care, theatre, medical and nursing staff across our donor hospitals and transplant centres continue with true professionalism to support organ donation and transplantation,” commented Dr Catherine Motherway, the HSE’s clinical lead for organ donation.

She expressed her admiration and gratitude to all of the families who elected to donate organs and save the lives of others. 

“On behalf of ODTI, intensive care staff, transplant teams and transplant recipients I wish to thank and honour the memory of our deceased donors. Organ donation saves and changes lives. It is an honour to be able to work with families who time and time again find it in themselves when faced with the sudden death of a loved one to think of others. We cannot express enough our gratitude,” she said.

Over 600 people in Ireland are currently waiting for an organ transplant. While some kidney donations can take place via the living donation programme, all other organ donations can only proceed when another life is lost.

For more information on ODTI and organ transplantation, click here.