01/10/2025
Service of Remembrance & Thanksgiving Demonstrates how a Bright Light Can Reemerge.
On Saturday last, 27th September, the Irish Kidney Association hosted its 40th Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving in Dublin, drawing a congregation of approximately 1,500 people from across Ireland and overseas.
“In a world of so much darkness, this Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving demonstrated how a bright light could reemerge”, these are the words passionately expressed by the eminent retired transplant surgeon, David Hickey and former All Ireland winning Dublin footballer, who was one of the guests at the service. During his distinguished career, spanning 1986 to 2015, David performed over 1,500 transplants and pioneered pancreas transplantation in Ireland.
Now in its 40th year, this unique and poignant Service of Remembrance & Thanksgiving honours deceased organ donors and their families, while celebrating the renewed lives of transplant recipients. It has become a deeply meaningful annual gathering for donor families and organ transplant recipients, many of whom attend every year to reflect, remember, and give thanks. This inclusive ceremony brought together celebrants from various faith traditions and non-religious worldviews, each united in their support for organ donation as the ultimate act of humanity.
A letter from President Michael D. Higgins, Patron of the IKA, was read by Colin White, husband of a dialysis patient and National Advocacy Manager for the Irish Kidney Association. In this letter the President said “organ donation is an act of incredible solidarity, an act of great altruism towards a fellow human being, and perhaps the greatest gift one human being can give to another.
“This special service”, he said “is an occasion of profound reflection, gratitude and solidarity. It offers an opportunity to remember with deep respect those generous individuals who, in life or in death, gave to others the priceless gift of renewed possibility through organ donation”.
The President thanked most sincerely the great spirit of compassion and solidarity of organ donors, choosing to transform loss into hope, and commended the dignity and gratitude shown by organ recipients who participated in the Service.
During the Service, the congregation was invited to place handwritten remembrance cards bearing the names of their loved ones into baskets at the altar. These cards were presented to Martina & Denis Goggin, founders of the Circle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative Garden in Salthill, Galway, for incorporation into the Garden.
Full details of the 40th Service of Remembrance & Thanksgiving on :
www.ika.ie
Photos:
10 year old kidney transplant recipient, Callum Cooney from Ballintra, Co. Donegal at the Service of Remembrance & Thanksgiving.
Double Lung and kidney transplant recipient, Allsún Henderson from Castleknock, Dublin.
Kidney and pancreas transplant recipient, Noreen Nuding with her husband Kevin from Templeogue, holding a photograph of their recently deceased donor son, Darren.
Some of the congregation at the Service of Remembrance & Thanksgiving at the Church of the Hold Child, Whitehall, Dublin.
