BRAVE Ballymurphy youngster Dáithí Mac Gabhann was special guest at Windsor Park today as part of efforts to promote organ donation.

Five-year-old Dáithí was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and now requires a heart transplant.

His parents set up the Donate4Dáithí campaign to raise awareness of organ donation and have helped pave the way for legislation aimed at introducing soft opt-out organ donation in the North. 

Visiting Windsor Park with his father Máirtín and grandfather Marty, Dáithí took to the field and scored an unstoppable penalty against Linfield goalkeeper Chris Johns, which was followed by a roar of applause from the whole first team. 

Football fan Dáithí met Blues manager David Healy and the rest of the first team.

Dáithí’s father, Máirtín, said: “We are absolutely blown away by the support of Linfield Football Club. When we reached out, Pat (Fenlon – General Manager) got back to us straight away wanting to help and we can’t thank him and David Healy enough.

"We are trying our best  to normalise organ donation in our society, and football is a massive part of that society. Linfield are a massive club and to have their support is fantastic. We hope that it will encourage the Linfield fans and community to consider joining the NHS Organ Donor Register.”

Back in 2017, Dáithí and his family were told that the only course of treatment for the youngster would be a heart transplant. Dáithí has now been on the waiting list for a heart transplant for more than three years, and as the search continues his family launched the Donate4Dáithí campaign to raise awareness of organ donation, while he waits.

Since the campaign launched, over 150,000 have signed the organ donation register in the North and the campaign are proud to have played a role in that. 

For information on how you can join this organ donor register and details on the Donate4Dáithí campaign visit here and/or here.

Give Donate4Dáithí a follow on one their social media pages:


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