Cork friends who all received ‘gift of life’ host ball in memory of friend Isabel Terry

WHENEVER friends Sally Nagle, Lynda O’Mahony and Annie Foley get together, they laugh a little harder, cry a little less, and smile a lot more.

“We all share a special common bond because we are all fortunate to be organ recipients which changed our lives forever,” says Sally, who lives in Myrtleville.

The three close friends, who all got the gift of life as well as the gift of friendship, always remember the friend that they lost, Isabel Terry, who was dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and the life-saving impact it can have.

Isabel was my friend too.

“Remember how she loved her style and her outings for afternoon teas?” says Annie.

Isabel savoured every minute with her friends and her family.

“Those outings lasted for hours!” says Annie.

I remember one Christmas we went to The Imperial for Afternoon tea at 2pm and we left at 7.15pm!

And she loved shopping in Brown Thomas, didn’t she?

“She sure did!” says Annie.

And she was funny.

“She was deadly funny,” agrees Annie.

“We miss Isabel every day of the week. We’re still grieving a lot for her. She was the last piece of the puzzle.”

Isabel underwent a double lung and heart transplant in September, 2017, but sadly lost her battle for life on October 12 last year.

Now, Isabel’s close friends, Sally, Lynda and Annie are organising The Gift of Life Ball in memory of Isabel on November 15, 2024, at the Radisson Blu Hotel Little Island.

“The ball is taking place in memory of our dear friend Isabel Terry, a courageous woman and an unbelievable advocate for organ donation,” says Sally.

Like her besties, Sally knows what life is like, living in limbo, waiting for a call that could change your life.

“I was born with a rare condition of the bone, Idiopathic multicentric Osteolysis,” says Sally.

How did the condition affect her?

“When I was a baby beginning to crawl, I would scream in pain,” says Sally.

“There was a possibility I could get kidney failure. In third year in secondary school, I got very sick and was vomiting. I was at summer school in Waterford for the Bahai religion to which I belong.”

Sally’s dad took her back to Cork.

“Back in Cork, I went to hospital and had lots of tests and was later diagnosed with kidney failure.

“At Crumlin hospital, I was six months on and off dialysis. My parents trained in home dialysis, as did my sister Sophie. 

I was on dialysis for up to 12 and a half hours a night.

Sally was determined to continue her life as normally as she could.

“I wanted to continue studying and getting on with my life,” says Sally.

She was on dialysis for two years and, in July, 2008, she got a call when she was at summer school to say that there was a kidney donor available.

How did she feel?

“I was full of emotion,” says Sally, then aged 16.

“It was bitter-sweet. I was happy, yes, but sad for the donor. I was getting the gift of life, and a family were losing the life of a loved one.

“The week before, I’d had a dream that I got the call for transplant. It felt real.”

Sally was home in recovery seven days after the operation. “It was a balancing act with tablets, etc,” she says.

“It was a year before I was back to full health.”

Sally went back to school, did her Leaving Cert, and went to college.

“I had the kidney transplant 11 years,” says Sally.

“I knew it was a treatment and not a cure. My kidneys began to decline, and I was back on dialysis and devastated my health had declined. I had no energy, no motivation.”

Sally’s family rallied around her.

“They are always very supportive,” says Sally.

“My aunt did a test to see if she was a match to donate a kidney to me. That didn’t work out and I went back on the deceased donor list.

“In November, 2020 I got the call at 1.40am in the morning.”

Sally’s kidney transplant was successful.

“I am working now in the IKA Munster Support Centre as volunteer peer support. I hope I give hope to other people.”

Sally celebrates life.

“Every November, I have a transplant party at my house with music, prayer, poetry and celebration.”

“And great food!” adds Lynda. “Sally is an amazing cook!”

Lynda is an amazing friend.

“I do the baking!” says Lynda, who moved to Cork when her daughter was two. Rachel is now 26 and her sister Bella is 18.

Lynda had an autoimmune condition called PBC, Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

“My granny had it and the condition causes jaundice and a terrible itch. It affects more women than men.

“I was unwell and in and out of hospital,” says Lynda.

“I was very young, 28, and it was hard to get a diagnosis. I did know that PBC attacks small bio ducts of the liver and can cause psoriasis. I managed with medications and went through a lot of blood tests.

In May, 2015, I was struggling with fatigue and nodules found on my liver were a cause for concern. I thought; here I am, a single mum with liver failure.

Lynda, like her friends, has the gift of resilience.

“You keep going when you have children,” she says.

“I was also told not to worry about liver failure for a long time.”

After taking part in a charity cycle, Lynda experienced flu-like symptoms.

“We were at Ecos for dinner. It was Rachel’s 16th birthday,” she recalls.

“I couldn’t stop shaking. And I had bad back pain. The GP put it down to a viral infection.

“I love shopping and I remember being in the Tesco shopping centre and realising something was drastically wrong.”

Lynda wasn’t herself.

“I looked in the bathroom mirror and my eyes were yellow. I had the chills and the shakes. I rang my brother to tell him to be available if I needed him. When I glimpsed in the mirror a bit later, I saw that I was green. Something was very wrong.”

Lynda didn’t want her girls to know their mother was ill.

“I got worse fast,” she says. “I tried to hide it from my youngest.”

Things can change fast.

“A week before, I was cycling in Kerry, now I was fighting for my life.”

Lynda’s journey started.

“I had a lot of episodes in hospital,” she recalls.

“In November, 2015, in St. Vincent’s, Dublin, a decision was made for a liver transplant. I was 41 and I was bed-bound. It was frightening for me and the kids.”

In December, 2016, Lynda couldn’t believe her liver transplant was going ahead.

“Four days before, my dad brought me up to hospital and left me in the car, I was so poorly.

I began to give up. Life was ebbing away. I was preparing to write letters to the girls. 

There was talk of palliative care.

“I had to keep fighting,” says Lynda. “I was so weak. My GP was brilliant and used to call to my house during her lunch hour.” Her dad was a huge support too.

“When I got the call for a transplant, my dad packed my bag and made me a cup of tea,” says Lynda.

“My body used to swell up so there was various size of clothes on the shelf. Dad drove me to the hospital and my brother David followed us up.” All went well.

Life was looking up for Lynda and her girls.

“I met Simon 10 months after my transplant,” says Lynda.

The couple met where lots of afternoon teas were enjoyed by the four firm friends, Isabel, Sally, Lynda and Annie.

“We met in the Imperial Hotel!” says Lynda laughing. “It was new beginnings for both of us.” New beginnings always have happy endings.

“We’re getting married in January in Lanzarote,” says Lynda, delighted with life.

She takes a leaf out of Isabel’s book.

“Grab life with both hands,” says Lynda.

Annie is on the same page.

“I can’t wait for the ball,” says Annie. “Isabel always said she couldn’t wait for the ball. It was a reason to put on the glad rags and get dressed up! She kept saying ‘Organise another ball!’” 

Isabel’s three amazing amigos have done just that.

Annie, who lives in Kanturk, was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1995.

“I missed a lot of school, and I was in hospital, but I didn’t pay much attention, being so young,” says Annie.

When she was studying to be a nurse in the UK in 1999, she was told she had kidney failure.

“I went for regular renal check-ups. I was shocked when I was told I had about 33% kidney function.” Something else gave Annie a big shock.

“I was pregnant!” says Annie. “Erin is a miracle. She’ll be 24 in October. I thought I couldn’t go full term and I had Erin via a planned caesarean section. We came back to Ireland in 2005.” Annie met Professor Liam Plant, who was very positive.

“He gave me wonderful care and compassion,” says Annie. “I was monitored closely, and Liam informed me that I was facing the prospect of a kidney transplant in a few years.” 

In March, 2010, Annie went for a ‘work up’ and to meet the transplant team in Beaumont Hospital.

“I was put on the waiting list,” says Annie. “In the meantime, I got along with life, doing a degree in UCC and then a Masters in English and History and International Relations.” 

Annie was destined to go places.

“In 2011, I stood as an election candidate for Cork North West,” she says. “I had ambition, I didn’t get in, but it was a good experience.” 

Annie wasn’t used to standing still.

“In 2013, I started a three year IPA course in Business Management.” 

Then she got the call.

“June 12, 2014,” says Annie, who got on the road to Beaumont Hospital, hoping for a new lease of life. Erin was 13 at the time.

“Dad drove me to the hospital,” says Annie. “The traffic was so bad in Naas that we got a Garda escort!” says Annie.

She was on the road to health and happiness.

“I think what a fantastic family who gave the go-ahead for me to live,” says Annie. 

If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have lived to see my daughter grow up. Now I’ve seen her become a fantastic woman. Now I am around for my parents and my brother.

Annie was always around for Isabel.

“We both had insomnia,” says Annie. “I’d get a text around 1.30am asking ‘Are you awake pet?’” Isabel was wide awake.

“She’d be looking at handbags online at the same time!” says Annie, laughing.

Isabel’s besties smile more at the memory of their dear friend.

“We don’t put anything on hold anymore,” says Lynda.

Plans for The Gift of Life Ball are going full steam ahead. Isabelle’s strong determination facing so many challenges spurs on her friends to continue to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.

“The Ball is in Isabel’s honour and in honour of her mum Deirdre and her fiancé Philip,” says Lynda.

Isabel knew how to party.

“She always had the hair and nails done to a tee,” says Lynda.

The foursome shared an unbreakable bond, an unbreakable connection.

“We have such love for each other,” says Lynda. “We live for each other.” Remembering Isabel and the gift of life and the gift of friendship they all shared, the three amigos laugh louder, smile brighter, and live better - always to the fullest.

“We grab life with both hands,” they say.

The Gift of Life Ball takes place November 15, 2024, at Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island. Tickets €80 each, or a table of 10 is €750. Includes four course dinner, DJ and band. See ika.ie. Or contact Cork Branch IKA phone: 086-2755754.