Leitrim woman on RTE Service of Remembrance this Sunday
Thousands of organ donor families and grateful transplant recipients will tune in at home and abroad to watch the Irish Kidney Association’s third virtual and 37th Annual Service of Remembrance & Thanksgiving.
At the Service, Cathriona Charles from Mohill, Co Leitrim will read Our Lord’s Prayer ‘as gaeilge’. Cathriona is enjoying the successful longevity of a kidney transplant she received from a deceased organ donor 32 years ago
Cathriona Charles from Mohill will read Our Lord’s Prayer ‘as gaeilge’.
The Irish Kidney Association is asking the public to tune into RTÉ and actively participate in this years’ virtual Service, including the symbolic Service of Light ceremony. It is hoped that in households the length and breadth of the country, and beyond, a candle will be lit in memory of deceased donors who gave the gift of life.
For many organ donor families this unique annual Service has become an anniversary to remember their loved ones, and for transplant recipients, the opportunity to honour and give thanks for the wonderful ‘gift of life’ they have received. Prior to the global pandemic, the annual event attracted a physical congregation of close to 2,000 people.
For the past three years the Service has been pre-recorded with a small gathering of participants due to safety issues around Covid-19, particularly for transplant recipients and other vulnerable people.
When the first pre-recorded ‘virtual’ Service was held in 2020, a total of 64,000 households nationwide tuned in to watch its first viewing on RTÉ and it was streamed in 24 other countries. Last year after the Service broadcast there was an uplift in donor card requests, with a 43% increase in average weekly requests.
Following the Service broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Radio One Extra (LW252) at 11am on Sunday, it will be available to watch on the Irish Kidney Association’s website www.ika.ie
Individuals who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to Share their Wishes with their family and keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their driver’s licence or having the ‘digital organ donor card’ App on their smartphone.
Organ Donor Cards can be requested by visiting the IKA website www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or to your phone, phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050.