Thursday, February 23 marked 23 years from when Martin Timoney first received the life-saving gift of a kidney transplant – and last October, he received his third.

The 60-year-old Belcoo man has now received three kidney transplants in total, making him one of only 53 people in 50 years in Northern Ireland to be a triple kidney transplant recipient.

It is rare to be a triple recipient of a kidney transplant, as many factors come into play including finding a suitable match.

Looking back on his health as he now lives what is an essentially normal life, Martin believes he is a lucky man.

He said: “It is better to be born lucky than rich. Even if you had one million pounds, you still wouldn’t get a kidney unless it was the right match – you just have to be lucky.”

When he was 36 years old, Martin discovered his kidneys had failed, and he began dialysis treatment, attending Omagh Hospital, where he was connected to the dialysis machine, three times a week.

Martin first received a kidney in 2000 after 18 months of dialysis treatment. However, complications arose, and Martin was back on dialysis in 2003.

Martin and his wife, Mary, had a young family of four at this stage. Working as a suckler farmer, he often felt drained and noted low energy levels while on dialysis.

After nearly three years, another kidney became available in 2006. This worked well for many years. However, over the course of time, the kidney gradually declined in function, and preparations were made to consider a third transplant for Martin.

Martin noted it can be difficult to get a match. He said: “Your tissue type and blood type can change [when you get a new kidney]; there is more risk [with another transplant] because they are going back in where they were before.

“There seems to be a better kidney ‘bank’ than there was years ago; you could have ten kidneys, and only one might match up. The kidney I got there, it was only good to me, as it didn’t suit anyone else, and that was the same as the one before.”

Speaking about the lead-up to his third transplant, Martin said: “In August, my kidney function was at 13 per cent, and then the morning of the kidney transplant it was down at 8 per cent functionality in October. They were organising for me for dialysis at that point.”

Luckily, when Martin was added to the kidney transplant waiting list last October, within 16 days he had received a match.

Martin also remarked on how far medicine has advanced, as when he first received a transplant in 2000, he was in hospital for 14 days, but last October, he was only in hospital for four days.

“When I got the kidney I went from 8 per cent function up to 38 per cent, and the creatinine [waste product in blood] was at 750 on the morning of the operation, but went down to 200 in two days.

“A normal creatinine level for someone with two kidneys is around 130, while mine sits at 155, and I only have a transplanted kidney, and now I sit at 40 per cent function, which is real good for a transplant.”

Martin especially praised the team at Belfast City Hospital who cared for him, adding “they were all excellent”.

He singled out the work of kidney transplant consultant, Dr. Aisling Courtney, and surgeons Tim Brown and Hannah McGowan while speaking to this newspaper.

Martin’s doctors believe his newest kidney will last for the rest of his life, and he is encouraging people to sign up for the organ donation register.

He said: “Two different people could have two different opinions, but the thing about it is that opinion could change in six months – nobody knows down the road what could happen them in a short period of time.

“Three people signed up [to the register] and saved my life.”

There are many ways to register as a potential donor, including an opportunity to be a living donor for organs such as kidneys.

For further information, see www.organdonationni.info.

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