BALLYMURPHY'S Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his dad were joined by the Lord Mayor in the Falls Park on Wednesday to unveil a new heart-shaped floral display to raise awareness of organ donation.

The flowerbed, located near the front entrance, was created by the park’s gardening team, headed-up by Paddy Higgins. 

Four-year-old Dáithí was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and now requires a heart transplant. His campaigning family, who set up the Donate4Dáithí campaign to raise awareness of organ donation, recently welcomed long-awaited progress on soft opt-out for donors. 

At tonight's meeting of Belfast City Council, the Lord Mayor, Kate Nicholl, will read out a special letter from Dáithí about the importance of organ donation. 

Commenting on the new flower display at the park, the Lord Mayor, Kate Nicholl, said: “I’m really delighted to unveil this beautiful floral bed in Falls Park with Dáithí and his father Máirtín, to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and to encourage people to sign the organ donor register. 

“Dáithí is an inspiration being so brave, at such a young age, in undergoing a number of open heart surgeries in recent years. That inspiration will be shared with all when I get the special honour of reading out a letter by him at the start of July’s Council meeting which is one of my goals in my year in office to focus on children and young people in our city and making sure their voices are heard.”

Dáithí's dad, Máirtín Mac Gabhann, said: “We are so thrilled and honoured that the Lord Mayor, Councillor Kate Nicholl, has unveiled this new flowerbed in our local Falls Park. We have had a fantastic relationship with City Hall and previous Mayors.

“The people of Belfast have been instrumental in the success of our campaign and we are just delighted that our first citizen has continued that support. It has been a pleasure to work with Belfast City Council in having these flowerbeds in their parks and hope that they encourage people to have the conversation about organ donation and to say #YesIDonate.”

Another floral bed in support of the NHS Organ Donation campaign has been planted at Ormeau Park. While last month, a flowerbed was unveiled in Botanic Gardens, in front of the Palm House, in tribute to the NHS and local healthcare staff.

The floral bed at Falls Park has been planted by the council’s gardeners with ‘red devil’ begonias and ‘silver dust’ foliage and the floral bed at Ormeau Park contains a mixture of begonias as well as marigold, lobelia, cosmos, ageratum and geranium flowers.