There’s no greater love than to put your own life on the line to save the life of another. That’s the story of two Armagh sisters who have, over the last year-and-a-half, demonstrated their unwavering devotion to one another.
Milford-based sisters, Sinead McGleenon and Orla Fox – who are incidentally both teachers – have more than just blood and employment in common. They are a six-out-of-six match!
Sinead had long harboured ongoing kidney problems stemming from recurrent urinary tract infections. She suffered with a constant lethargy, lack of appetite and nausea.
But if you know the powerhouse that is Sinead, you’ll know this never stood in the way of her living life to its fullest!
Speaking to Armagh I during Organ Donation Week, she explained: “I worked all my life and travelled all around the world. I taught in Australia and America. Other than the kidney issues, I was always healthy and felt great.”
That was until July 2021, when Sinead’s Armagh-based GP sent tests off to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry. The hospital called her in for an appointment. She attended with her sister, Orla and received the “biggest shock” of her life.
The go-getting primary school teacher was informed she had kidney disease and would undoubtedly need a transplant. They estimated she had between three and five years before the transplant would be crucial.
“I just remember then coming out and Orla was in the waiting room and asked if I was ok and I nodded but I was so in shock,” she said. “I had to go in and get bloods taken then and I just started to cry when it hit me.”
Sinead repeatedly told the doctors and nurses that she “felt great”, she did feel great and they didn’t argue. They just knew what lay ahead.
She did what she always did… ploughed on, putting her very best foot forward at all times.
“Anyone who is not well, you always have yourself looking healthy,” explained Sinead. “You don’t want to look sick. I was always smiling at appointments!”
Doctors encouraged Orla not to worry about the façade, telling her, “Sinead will know herself when she needs a transplant” but Orla knew her sister better and replied, “If you’re waiting on Sinead, she will never tell you!”
Sinead admitted herself that nearing the time, she couldn’t walk or sleep, she had itching, couldn’t eat, had restless legs, cramps, heartburn and when she laid down she felt like she was “choking and her body was a tonne weight”.
She did her best to hide it from all and sundry. For Sinead, it was much too hard to see the impact her illness had on other people. She even, on occasion, hid it at school. trying her best to maintain a “normal” for those around her.
There would be no transplant without a donor… so one had to be found. Orla said, in this initial stages, they “kept it among the family”.
“Sinead would never ask anyone to be a donor. But I put myself forward, my husband, Joe and two sons did too, but they were too young, our two brothers and a few of Sinead’s friends came forward, while our mum constantly prayed for us.”
11 South relay team comprising Orla’s sons, Finn and Tom and their cousins and friend who ran The Blefast City Marathon for Kidney Research NI
All underwent the first stage of testing in Belfast City Hospital. This was to assess for compatibility. It comprised of blood tests, DNA tests and tissue testing. Results were marked out of six (with scores of three, four, five and six all being considered for further tests). However, there was no guarantee that being a blood relation would yeild any compatibility.
Visibily emotional, Orla recalled the day she received her results and the serendipitous way in which the news was delivered.
She said: “I will never forget the day they contacted me. I was at home and had brought in a load of washing and was matching socks on the table. My donor nurse rang and she said, “Orla, you are a perfect match. You are six-out-of-six. It was like winning the lottery!”
Others were a one-out-of-six or three-out-of-six, for example… but Orla was by far the most obvious choice.
“I couldn’t believe I was matching socks! I told Sinead, guess what I was doing, I was matching socks! We had hit the small percentage, even for siblings to be a perfect match, it’s so rare. I just thought, now I can help!”
However, this was just the first hurdle in a long journey. Orla then had to attend for scans to ensure she had not one but two kidneys! The sisters explained that many people live happy, unaffected and healthy lives not realising they have only ever had one kidney the entire time.
Naturally, when the radiographer revealed there were of course, two kidneys, Orla was over the moon. The socks are still a match!
Then they underwent health monitoring, psychological testing and legal paperwork to make sure every i was dotted and every t crossed.
Despite the rigorous process, Sinead never lost faith.
“We would be upbeat, positive people,” she said. “I would always have said as I was getting sick, there are going to be hard days but you get through them and they come and go but I’m also going to have good days. I relished those but I had to enjoy them because they also come and go.
“You keep yourself mentally strong and keep positive. I never doubted. When I knew Orla was a match I never ever doubted it would work.”
They made it the entire way, through it all, together. The transplant would go ahead with Orla freely and lovingly giving her supremely healthy kidney to save her sister’s life.
Sinead underwent, what was categorised by surgeons, as a “complex” surgery. Orla didn’t have it easy either, explaining that kidneys were so far back that surgeons would have to “dig” for it!
Nonetheless, on the day of the operation, Sinead felt completely at peace. She described: “I was so calm. I got onto the theatre bed and I felt like I was on a bed of cotton wool. I felt so protected. I knew I was strong enough. I am a great healer and I just felt bubble-wrapped with all the prayers and all the goodness.”
She was worried for her sister, however. Knowing that Orla was being whisked away to theatre, where stakes are always high, was a devastating experience.
“I was with Orla’s husband when she was being taken away and that was so hard. It was desperate.”
Orla came out of the surgery one kidney lighter but thankfully otherwise well. Immediately after, with what was now formerly Orla’s kidney on ice, Sinead was wheeled in to have it become her own.
Unfortunately, Sinead’s surgery – while successful – was not entirely straightforward. Before she could even see Orla, she was whisked away the following morning for an emergency surgery.
Orla (left) and Sinead (right) with their mum on the one year anniversary of their transplant
Emerging from that second surgery, Sinead – showing a rare moment of vulnerability – said she felt as though she had been “hit by a bus”. So weak was her body, that she lay entirely still while a solitary tear rolled down her cheek.
Interestingly, Sinead’s new kidney now sits at the front of her stomach, rather than towards her back where kidneys are generally located.
She can feel it when she presses down and it brings her so much comfort.
“It’s a lovely feeling! It’s called Kate”, she laughed. “One of the nurses said to name it so it’s called Kate the Kidney!”
A year-an-a-half on, all is now going well! In fact, it’s better than anyone could have expected.
“It’s just those milestones, you just feel so blessed, so grateful,” said Sinead. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Not just physically, but I’m a better person for it. Now I’m so grateful. I see all the goodness in the world, all the goodness in people.”
Orla seconded her sister’s sentiment, adding of her own experience: “It’s a small price to pay. People used to ask me did I ever hesitate but oh my goodness you’re just helping your sister. It’s a small price to pay with your own health but I’ll be fine!”
When asked if she missed her kidney, she laughed: “Not at all, sure it’s walking around beside me!”
Sinead continued: “You don’t want to ask anyone to be your donor, you don’t want to watch anyone going through the process. It was brilliant of Orla but so hard. She put her life at risk to help me and I could never, every repay her.”
But what Sinead saw as the hardest thing in the world, Orla saw as the easiest. It was a no-brainer. She would have moved Heaven and earth to ensure her sister’s health and happiness and seeing them laughing and joking – both as bright as buttons – around a kitchen table proves the decision was the best either will ever make.
“It’s a lifetime of brilliant,” said Sinead.
And while she tried to hide her pain from the world throughout it all, she took note of each and every person’s kindess and sensitivity, never missing even so much as a lovingly made cup of tea!
She wished to thank her “amazing” family and friends, Daisy Hill Hospital Renal team, Belfast City Hospital 11 South – from nurses to “tea people” and cleaners – Renal Outpatients, Renal nurses, Surgeons, Nephrologists, Pharmacists, Podiatry, dieticians and all who have shown great care before and after her transplant.
There are too many to mention and for fear of leaving anyone out, she reinforced that everyone in her extended circle from nephews and nieces further afield and those living overseas, you all made a difference and for that, Sinead will forever be grateful.
She reinforced that her friends – from far and wide – were her rock and she couldn’t have got through it without them all rallying round and taking care of both her and Orla!
Orla also wished to thank Armagh Ladies Gaelic Football – where she was a former county player – for selecting Kidney Patients and Research as their charity.
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