In March 2016 he had a successful double lung transplant, and has since gone on to finish a marathon. Luke Doherty (27) also had a double lung transplant, after one of his lungs collapsed in January 2016. While on the waiting list for an organ transplant he was still training regularly, despite operating on one lung. An opt-out system for organ donation should be introduced in Ireland, he said, as “most people don’t even think about it until something happens to someone they know”. Speaking at the reception on Saturday, President Higgins said organ donation was an “act of incredible solidarity”.

Source: The Irish Times March 18, 2018 21:56 UTC