A six-year-old boy behind a campaign to change Northern Ireland’s organ donation laws has been flown to England for a cardiac procedure.
Dáithi MacGabhann has been waiting for a heart transplant since 2018, while his family have worked to secure a change in legislation to increase donors with an opt-out system.
Although the Dáithi’s law was passed at Stormont one year ago, the ongoing political deadlock has prevented secondary legislation to make it a reality.
Using the Northern Ireland fixed wing Air Ambulance, Dáithi was flown from Belfast International Airport to Freeman’s Hospital in Newcastle.
Travelling with his father Máirtín and a medical team, his family has urged the Westminster government to step in and change the law.
Speaking before the journey, Mr MacGabhann said: “It’s a year to the day since Robin Swann (then Health Minister) brought ‘Dáithí Law’ in with the hope that it could become law in the spring of 2023.
“A year to the day, and it’s a much different situation and we’re heading to Newcastle for Dáithí to have a very important procedure. We’re hoping it’s a routine procedure and will be back home in a few days.”
Calling for answers from the Northern Ireland Secretary, he added: “We’re always optimistic. The first time we used Woodgate, he was given a ten percent chance of surviving and he got through then. So, if we had hope then, we certainly have hope now. And hope is all we do have.”
Thanking those caring for his son at Woodgate Aviation, he said: “The service at Woodgate is absolutely phenomenal. It’s first class. We would be absolutely lost without Woodgate and we can’t thank them enough for being part of our family over the last couple of years.”
