A Roscommon brother and sister are supporting the appeal to people to consider organ donation this week.
Niamh Kelly and her brother Paul Dolan who are natives of Lecarrow, have been sharing their story as part of Organ Donor Awareness Week.
Niamh lives with her husband in Ballyhaunis and teaches at St Paul's school in Castlerea, while Paul lives and works in Dublin.
Paul donated a kidney to Niamh in an operation in July of last year after she had to have one of her kidneys removed in 2011 due to a rare condition.
When her remaining kidney began to fail in 2020 Paul was one of a group of family members to be assessed for living donation.
Speaking on the Let's Talk show today Paul said that donating his kidney was an easy choice for him, made all the worthwhile by seeing the immediate impact it had on his sister's life.
''It's such a wonderful thing, you know, really just seeing the difference in Niamh the hour after. I suppose we both came to our senses afterwards and I was able to pop into the room next door to see her but I hobbled very, very slowly and to see her in a room, a couple hours later the difference in her you know, it just was always gonna be so worth it but just seeing that moment like, you know, it really was something that nearly bringing tears to your eyes, seeing how healthy and the difference in her straightaway.''
