Greg Daly
There was a congregation of over 2000 at a special Mass at Knock Shrine held last Sunday to mark Organ Donor Awareness Week 2017 (1-8 April). The inaugural service was a celebration for organ donors and transplant recipients and was led by Fr Richard Gibbons, in the newly refurbished Basilica.
The chief organiser of this event was Monica Morley from the Family Life Centre in Knock and the concept came from local woman, Bernadette McNeive, whose son Matthew underwent a kidney transplant age 11.
Matthew (18), a Leaving Cert student, is now an accomplished sportsman and member of Transplant Team Ireland as he enjoyed success in the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships in Vantaa, Finland last summer.