For many teenagers, life is hectic, and Dale Hutchinson was kept on his toes between study and farming. When his energy levels dipped, he thought his tiredness was nothing out of the ordinary, but it soon became obvious that something wasn’t quite right. After various appointments, Dale – who runs his own farm consultancy business and farms with his father in Gleneely, Co Donegal – was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease. For years the condition was managed with medication, but after turning 30 things took a turn for the worst.
For many teenagers, life is hectic, and Dale Hutchinson was kept on his toes between study and farming. When his energy levels dipped, he thought his tiredness was nothing out of the ordinary, but it soon became obvious that something wasn’t quite right.
After various appointments, Dale – who runs his own farm consultancy business and farms with his father in Gleneely, Co Donegal – was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease. For years the condition was managed with medication, but after turning 30 things took a turn for the worst.
Organ Donor Awareness Week, organised by the Irish Kidney Association, begins this weekend and will run from 30 March to 6 April. To encourage more families to have the important conversation about their wishes, Dale is sharing his story about how his mother Audrey give him the gift of life for a second time.
“I was between 16 and 18 years old, I felt tired a lot and had a lack of energy. If I came home in the evening the first thing I would do is fall asleep.
“It took a while to get diagnosed but I was fine at the same time, I was just sleepy. I thought that was normal because I was busy with college and things at home. Once I went on medication, it settled down.
“I went on to Greenmount and did a BSc in technology and agriculture at Queen’s. I started my advisory work with Teagasc and when the downturn happened I was on a temporary contract, so I set up on my own in 2010 – Dale Hutchinson Agricultural Consultancy. I do that three days a week and I farm with my father. We have around 50 suckler cows and 260-270 ewes.”
Decline
There came a time when Dale’s condition worsened.
“I was at the 30 mark. Every time I went for an appointment, my kidney function was dropping. My consultant in Letterkenny eventually said: ‘Look, it’s time to go on the transplant list.’ Only 13% of my kidney was working, which eventually fell to 6%, so I needed the help of peritoneal dialysis until the operation.
“I attended the Home Therapies Unit in Beaumont where they trained myself and my wife Lisa and set me up with a machine at home. For three months I received dialysis six nights a week, for eight hours. I started dialysis in March last year. We had three children under four and I was trying to work as well, it was tough. Dialysis gave me more energy; I did the relay at the marathon in Belfast on the May bank holiday in between starting dialysis and the transplant.”
Donation
“I was asked if there was anyone at home willing to donate a kidney. More than likely it would have been three-and-a-half years on a waiting list and a live donor is more successful and will last longer. Mum, dad, Lisa, my sister and my younger brother were all tested. Mum came back as a perfect match and was dead set on doing it. At the start, I was against it because I knew the impact that it would have on the family.
“On the day of the operation, 11 June, mum went first and as I was going into the operating theatre she was going out the other side. Before I went in, the consultant said,‘Mum’s fine’, which was a huge relief. As soon as I woke up out of the anaesthetic, the change was unbelievable; although I was sore, I knew I was much better. Thank goodness the transplant went swimmingly well.
“The recovery was very sore. Heavy lifting on the farm is hard to avoid and working with sheep – all it takes is for one to hit you. Now I would go for a tractor and loader before I would do heavy lifting. In my opinion, mum was slower to recover. She was having to make do with one kidney whereas I was getting a new lease of life. After the operation mum was more worried about me than herself – that’s mothers for you.
“I was going to Beaumont twice a week after the transplant. Now it’s once every six weeks and I’m on anti-rejection tablets.”
Time to talk
“Families should be having a conversation (about organ donation). They’ve the final say if something unfortunate happens and unfortunate things can turn into something so good. I was blessed that mum wanted to do it and that five of my family members were willing. There are many who aren’t as fortunate and who are still on the list for all kinds of transplants.
Dale Hutchinson pictured with his wife Lisa and three kids, Scott, Adam and Jessica. \ Clive Wasson
“It’s not something I would have thought of when I was young, but I’m in the situation now and I realise how important it is. If it’s something that you don’t want to do that’s fine, but there are people who are not talking about it.
Appreciation
“We’re having a dance at Inishowen Gateway, Buncrana on 14 June, Johnny Brady will be performing. We’re running it for the Support Centre at Beaumont Hospital; it’s under the umbrella of the Irish Kidney Association. We’re selling tickets and hopefully it will be a good fundraiser, I want to give something back to them.
“I would like to thank the doctors and nurses for their help and care, and also my family and friends, particularly my wife Lisa, who I’ve known since school and without her this would have been much more difficult, and most of all I want to thank my wonderful mum for giving me the best gift.”
See the Irish Kidney Association’s website for more information about Organ Donor Awareness Week.
Read more
Dialysis and farming patients
Sister Act: Our transplant story
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: