Boy starts school after receiving father’s kidney

The first day of school is always an emotional milestone but for one Cork family it was a milestone they feared they may never reach.

Jessica Stone was filled with joy this week as she watched her son Zack (5) head off for his first day of school with his big sister Ellie (7) and his dad Michael whom Zack had received a donor kidney from less than a year before.

The journey to this moment had been far from smooth for little Zack and his family. His mum Jessica, originally from East Sussex in England, reflected on the significance of the short half mile walk they took from their home to Zack’s new school, Mallow CNS.

“Soon after his arrival, he fell seriously ill and had to be urgently transferred from CUH to Temple Street Hospital,” said Jessica.

“He was diagnosed with acute renal failure with one multicystic dysplastic kidney and renal dysplasia, conditions which meant his kidneys hadn’t developed properly and a kidney transplant was inevitable. This marked the beginning of a series of hospital stays and medical challenges, turning Temple Street Hospital into a second home for Zack.”

For Michael, a native of Strasbourg, France, seeing his son start school represented a testament to his family's journey over the past five years.

“Zack had spent 15 months on nightly dialysis at home, a routine that often came with complications,” explained Michael.

“Through it all, Zack was a great little patient. Zack has shown us what bravery truly means. Those nights on dialysis were tough for him but this was his normality. Today, seeing him walk to school gives us a sense of great pride,” he added.

At the beginning, Jessica and Michael balanced the needs of their then two year old daughter Ellie while constantly commuting between their home in Mallow and hospital in Dublin.

Family support was limited due to their distant homes in the UK and France, but everyone pulled together to support Zack, with Jessica’s mum travelling from the UK frequently to support the family.

Despite this, both parents managed to navigate their professional lives with the understanding support of their employer, an international tech company, where they had met 11 years prior.

Jessica took maternity and carer's leave before returning to work, after which Michael was able to take extended carer's leave for two years, allowing them to share the responsibility of caring for Zack and Ellie.

The day of the transplant, 3 October 2022, remains etched in their memories and Jessica still vividly recalled the anxiety of waiting at Temple Street Hospital while Michael underwent surgery to donate his kidney across the city at Beaumont Hospital. Both surgeries were successful, marking a turning point in their journey.

Jessica said: “I’ll never forget that day. Waiting for news about both Michael and Zack felt like the longest day of my life.”

When asked about his decision to donate his kidney, Michael said: “It was a natural step as a parent, a way of providing for my family. I view it not as a grand gesture, but as an extension of my role. Zack can now begin a new chapter of education, fun, and making new friends at school.

He no longer has a restricted diet and it’s wonderful to watch him grow and take up new hobbies like swimming and football which he really loves. He now has a chance to enjoy a normal childhood.”

Individuals who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to carry the organ donor card, to permit Code 115 to be included on their driver’s licence, or to have the digital organ donor card app on their smartphone.

Organ Donor Cards can be requested by visitingika.ie/get-a-donor-card, phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01-6205306, or free text the word DONOR to 50050.