The Browne Family was inspired to give back to the Mater Hospital by holding a fundraising tractor run following Barry's care in the Transplant Unit.
Barry Browne received a single lung transplant in the winter of 2020 after living with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis for over six years.
IPF, is a serious lung condition where the lungs become scarred and stiff over time. This makes it harder to breathe and for the body to get the oxygen it needs.
“Idiopathic” means the cause is unknown, and “pulmonary fibrosis” means scarring in the lungs. As the scarring gets worse, it becomes more difficult for the lungs to work properly.
Barry spent almost five weeks post-operation in the Lung Transplant ward in the Mater where he received excellent care from doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and dieticians to name just a few.
He’s doing great now and to say thank you for the miraculous care he received not just during the transplant itself, but in the years that followed, he organised a tractor run in his local GAA village of Ballygarvan last year, raising a phenomenal €47,500 in the process!
Not only has it been Barry’s intention to raise funds for the post-transplant ward, but Barry and his family wish to raise awareness for the importance of organ donation, and to encourage families to have that difficult conversation. His goal is to make the post-transplant journey that Barry knows so well a pleasant one for future lung transplant recipients.