Sam stars in IKA campaign
A five year old boy whose mother hails from Mullingar is the star of a new campaign by the Irish Kidney Association to encourage people to take part in the Run For A Life fun run on May 25.
Little Sam Kinahan and his mum Chloe (nee Gaine), dad Ivan and sister Chloe took part in the photocall to promote the Run For a Life event the day before his fifth.
The fun run, which takes place in Corkagh Clondalkin on Saturday May 25, is billed as a celebration of life and aims to raise awareness about the plight of people in organ failure and the life saving importance of organ donation and transplantation.
Sam has been receiving dialysis treatment since he was four and a half months old and is one of 550 Irish people currently on waiting lists for all organ transplants.
Speaking at the photocall, Sam's mother Chloe says that Sam has overcome many obstacles for one so young.
"In his short lifetime my son Sam has been receiving dialysis treatment for four years and eight months and that's almost as long as he has been alive.
“Sam is a patient at Temple Street Hospital and has soldiered through his illness as a happy little boy who seldom complains.
“One of the issues that comes with his condition is that he has never eaten properly because of his restrictive diet and he has primarily been tube fed.
“While he will enjoy the ceremonial blowing out of the candles on his 5th birthday cake he will not be able to eat it.
“His interests are typical of any young boy of his age and he loves watching Transformers and playing with the power hero robots in disguise.
“While he is on the the deceased donor kidney transplant waiting list we anxiously await news that his father, Ivan, can be his living kidney donor as soon as possible. A donor kidney will be the catalyst for transforming Sam's life and a new kidney will be his transformer!
“Sam has attended the annual Run for a Life every year since his first as a baby being pushed along in his buggy by his father. We look forward to attending the event again this year and hopefully by then we will have received welcome news that Ivan can be Sam's donor."
Ray D'Arcy, the national ambassador for organ donor awareness 2019, will take part in the Run for a Life. It is open to people of all ages who can choose to walk, jog or run in the chip timed event, which offers prizes for winners in a choice of 2.5km, 5km and 10km distances and starts at 2pm. The entry fee is €20 adult, €10 child and €45 for a family of up to 2 adults and up to 4 children. All finishers will receive a medal and entry fee also includes soup and sandwiches. See www.runforalife.ie.
Organ donor cards can be obtained from the Irish Kidney Association, 01 6205306 or Freetext ‘DONOR’ to 50050. Visit www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or download the ‘Digital Organ Donor card’.