Kidney transplant newlyweds from Offaly and Westmeath keeping it local

A Midlands couple exchanged wedding vows over the August bank holiday weekend, grateful for their shared good health, made possible by the groom donating a kidney to his bride two years ago.   

Like many other couples who faced delays with their wedding plans due to an unwelcome guest, Covid-19, Garda Shane Hunter (31) from Athlone, Co Westmeath and his art teacher bride, Briona Reynolds (30), from across the county border in nearby Tubber, in Co Offaly, postponed their nuptials which were to take place last summer. They wanted to ensure that all their family and friends could be invited to share in the celebration of their happy event, grateful that Briona’s health struggles, and three times weekly hospital dialysis, were behind her.

By coincidence, Shane has known another living donor kidney transplant recipient, John Egan from Athlone, since they attended secondary school in Athlone. Following John’s transplant last year which was thanks to his future father-in-law, the former Westmeath footballer also got married this summer to his beautiful bride Traci. John and Traci’s Brennan’s wedding was held on June 5th. The happy couple exchanged vows in St. Mary’s Church, Athlone and their reception was held at Glasson Lakehouse. 

Both couples are sharing their uplifting stories in support of the Irish Kidney Association in highlighting European Day for Organ Donation & Transplantation which will be held next month on 10th October 2022.

Briona said: “We had a wonderful wedding weekend and it was great to be surrounded by all the people we love. Everything has been going so well for us over the last two years, since Shane donated a kidney to me on June 22nd, 2020.

“Sometimes we forget the struggles we experienced. We still talk about how things were back then but it’s always followed by how grateful we are for how much better things are now.

“When I think about then and now it’s like two different lives, things now are so much more relaxed. We're currently renovating our house, planning little trips away and just enjoying life. We’ve both returned to work and life is great!”

Shane is now back to work at Tullamore Garda Station. Just a week before the transplant operation took place, Briona, completed her thesis for a master’s in education, fulfilling her dream to become a secondary school art teacher. Briona secured a teaching post at Mullingar Community College and has just returned to work there after the summer holidays.

Briona and Shane first met through an introduction by Briona’s sister in 2009. Love blossomed and thanks to the gift of organ donation they share a unique bond as they now embark on married life together. 

In describing their wedding Briona said, “the two-day wedding celebration was just amazing. We were very lucky as we had close to our original number of guests when we started planning four years ago.

“We were delighted when the day finally came, after previously being a casualty of Covid-19, as it should have taken place last year. Luckily all of our vendors were still available, including the venue and Simon Casey and his band who were excellent.

“Our wish was to keep things as local as we could throughout the wedding. We wanted it to be local and alternative. We got married in Mount Druid in Castletown Geoghegan, which is a wonderful venue, and the staff were so accommodating.

“On the second day we celebrated at our home with a marquee and music provided by Adrian Hiney from across the village in Tubber.

“After this we took a few days away and went down south just to relax. We are looking at honeymooning abroad at some point next year.

“While I’ll be forever grateful to Shane for the ‘gift of life’ he has given me, I'd also like to thank his parents, Norman and Sharon Hunter, who now live in Dysart, Co Roscommon, as well as my mam and dad, Gina and Frank Reynolds for their loving support”.

It was a case of third time lucky for the couple when their living donor kidney transplant went ahead in June 2020. Beaumont Hospital had suspended transplant operations before the country went into lockdown on March 27th, 2020 including Briona and Shane’s operations, which were initially scheduled to take place on March 23rd.

This was their second disappointment as a previous date for transplant, February 3rd, had also been cancelled due to safety concerns as Shane’s blood results showed irregularities at the time.

By February 2020, Briona’s kidney function had almost fully declined and she then had no option but to commence haemodialysis treatment to keep her alive.

Briona’s mother Gina Reynolds was also found to be a suitable living kidney donor match but Shane was determined that he should be the one to proceed.

Shane shared, “We had a great wedding. It is so rewarding and gives me great joy to see Briona so well and that we are both happy and healthy and can look forward to what the future will bring.”

Individuals who wish to support  organ  donation are encouraged to Share their Wishes  with their family  and keep the  reminders  of their decision available by carrying the  organ  donor  card,  permitting  Code 115  to be included on their  driver’s  licence  or having the ‘digital  organ  donor  card’ App on their smartphone.  Organ  Donor  Cards can be requested by  visiting the  IKA  website  www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card  or    to your  phone,  phoning the  Irish  Kidney  Association  on  01 6205306  or  Free text the word  DONOR  to 50050