The cream of Kildare All Ireland football elites came together in solidarity for Organ Donor Awareness Week 2017 (1-8 April) at a gathering for the Kildare Branch of the Irish Kidney Association.

Johnny Doyle, Glen Ryan and Dermot Earley are the triumvirate and royal family of Kildare Senior Football. Its a huge boost to the Irish Kidney Association to secure their endorsement of the life-saving awareness campaign, said Mary Meagher, long time member of the Kildare branch of the IKA, from Newbridge.

Mary continued, We are also delighted that the Kildare All Ireland Ladies Football Champions team has also shown solidarity in support for the important cause as the panel gathered for a photo with Kildare South TD., Martin Heyden, the Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary party who is also backing the campaign."

In a collective statement by the retired Lilywhites trio, Johnny Doyle, Glen Ryan and Dermot Earley (the CEO of the Gaelic Players Association), said, We are delighted to support the Irish Kidney Association including its Kildare branch in its efforts to support kidney patients and their families as well as in highlighting the vital importance of organ donation. Each one of us recognises the importance of having the chat with the relatives so that they will know our wishes about organ donation if we have an untimely death. We hope we can play our part in spreading awareness and we encourage the public to support IKA volunteers who will be distributing free donor cards and selling forget-me-nots emblems (the symbol of transplantation) in towns and villages around county Kildare and the rest of the country during the Awareness Week which comes to a close on Saturday, 8thApril.

When attending a local launch to mark Organ Donor Awareness Week, Deputy Martin Heydon, T.D., said, in my work as a T.D. I have met individuals and families who have both benefitted from organ donation or have made the decision to donate organs of a loved one. In all cases I have seen, there have been benefits on both sides. I would encourage everyone to carry an organ donor card and discuss your wishes with family members.

The Irish Kidney Association is the national organisation charged with the promotion and distribution of the organ donor card in Ireland, on behalf of Organ Donation Transplant Ireland. Free information fact files, which accompany organ donor cards, are obtainable from the Irish Kidney Association and are available nationwide from pharmacies, GP surgeries and Citizen Information Offices etc.

Organ Donor Cards can also be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association LoCall1890 543639orFreetext the word DONOR to 50050. Visit www.ika.ie where you can now download the IKAs newdigitaldonorcardby visiting www.donor.ie on your smartphone.

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