The Public Health Agency (PHA) has launched new primary school organ donation education resources aimed at introducing organ donation education at an early age, and pupils from St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s Primary School and Nursery Unit are delighted to be taking part. The initiative was designed by the mother and sister of a past pupil from the school who have went on to establish the programme in her memory. With the educational curriculum in mind, the resources will provide Key Stage1 and 2 pupils with the information they need to find out more about the topic of organ donation and to discuss it with family and friends.
This initiative was significantly inspired some years ago by Lucia Quinney Mee, a young multiple liver transplant recipient in Northern Ireland, whose passion for and commitment to organ donation awareness led her to begin a campaign, Live loudly Donate Proudly, and to raising the importance of organ donation education directly with the education minister and representatives from the Department of Health.
Lucia’s mum and sister Alice who is also a past pupil of St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s Primary School were involved in the working group and her sister Alice, a Learning Support Assistant commented:
"Lucia was passionate about organ donation conversations. She had complete faith in children’s abilities to learn about the topic and potentially save lives. She knew that these young people could be proud of making a real difference by finding their own voice."