A young boy who inspired a campaign to change organ donor laws in Northern Ireland has finally received a heart transplant after eight years on the waiting list.
Belfast boy Dáithí Mac Gabhann was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare defect where the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped.
Dáithí, now nine, had been on the waiting list for a transplant since 2018.
His father, Mairtin, and the rest of his family campaigned for years for Northern Ireland to move to a soft opt-out law, and to promote organ donation.
Dáithí’s Law came into effect in June 2023, bringing Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK.
The Organ and Tissue Donation (Deemed Consent) legislation changed the way consent is granted.
Adults are now deemed to have given consent as a potential organ donor after their death, unless they choose to opt out or are in an excluded group.
Dáithí was awarded the freedom of Belfast in 2023 and his father was made an MBE in 2024 for their campaigning work.
A post on the Donate For Dáithí social media channels, with a photo of the nine-year-old in hospital, was captioned: “Dáithí has received the gift of a heart transplant.
“His wait, the longest of any child in the world for a heart transplant, is over.
“Dáithí is at the beginning of his recovery. There have already been some big wins for him, but there is still a long road ahead, and we would ask you all to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
“Organ donation is the greatest gift anyone can ever give.
“We are beyond grateful to Dáithí’s donor and their family for making such a selfless decision at the most difficult time imaginable.
“Out of respect for them, and for their privacy, we won’t be saying anything more at this stage.
“Please keep talking about organ donation. Those conversations save lives.”
According to official data, about 180 heart transplants are carried out across the UK each year.
There are currently about 300 people waiting for a heart transplant, according to the charity Cardiomyopathy UK.