Northern Ireland

Dáithí Mac Gabhann's father 'filled with pride' after Antrim and Armagh footballers back organ donation campaign

Dáithí Mac Gabhann with his parents Máirtín Mac Gabhann and Seph Ní Mhealláin with Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill at Stormont. Picture by Hugh Russell
Dáithí Mac Gabhann with his parents Máirtín Mac Gabhann and Seph Ní Mhealláin with Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill at Stormont. Picture by Hugh Russell Dáithí Mac Gabhann with his parents Máirtín Mac Gabhann and Seph Ní Mhealláin with Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill at Stormont. Picture by Hugh Russell

The father of a four-year-old boy waiting for a heart transplant has said his family is filled with pride after Antrim and Armagh footballers backed his organ donation campaign.

Players for both teams wore pink organ donation jerseys in training ahead of their Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final clash tomorrow.

Dáithí Mac Gabhann, from west Belfast, was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and has undergone major surgery.

However, he is still waiting for a heart transplant.

His parents Máirtín Mac Gabhann and Seph Ní Mhealláin have campaigned for several years for Northern Ireland to adopt a soft opt-out organ donation system, in line with Britain.

“Nothing could have prepared us for hearing the words that a heart transplant would be Dáithí’s very last chance at life," Mr Mac Gabhann said.

"No other options. So we wait. And wait. And wait.”

An avid Gael, Mr Mac Gabhann said he was proud that Antrim, Armagh and Ulster GAA had helped to spread awareness of his family's campaign

"The GAA is central to our lives and we understand the power of the GAA community," he said.

"We hope that this will encourage more people to join the organ donor register and to just help normalise the talk around organ donation in our society. Awareness of organ donation saves lives, and we hope it will help save our Dáithí’s."

A soft opt-out system will mean people automatically become organ donors, unless they specifically say otherwise.

Moves to introduce the system took a step closer last week after First Minister Paul Givan pledged the DUP's support.

All the other main parties had already voiced their backing for the system.

In a letter to Belfast city councillors, Dáithí said he needs a transplant "because my heart makes me a bit blue now and it is a bit small".

"Belfast is my happy place," he wrote.

He added: "I only have half of (a) heart, but I still have lots of fun".

"All the mayors live in big castles and they help me. I got to wear the big necklace and it was too heavy for my muscles and I dropped it. Oops!

"And in the other castle (Stormont), important people like my mate Robin and Michelle are helping lots of other people for donate. I don't know what they are doing but they are my friends and play football with me and there were lots of news cameras. I was boxing with Mr Givan and I think I won."

Lord Mayor Kate Nicholl said it was "an honour" to read the letter at Thursday night's council meeting.

Earlier this week, she helped Dáithí unveil a heart-shaped flowerbed in Falls Park in west Belfast to raise awareness of organ donation.