Tragic Cillian Minnock (2).
HIS LIFE may have been cruelly cut short, but before his tragic passing, little Cillian Minnock was just like any other two-year-old who loved superheroes like Buzz Lightyear.
Now Cillian has been hailed as a superhero in his own right for helping to save the lives of other children.
The youngster from Ballinteer, south Dublin, died suddenly last month after collapsing at his home.
Last week, on what would have been Cillian’s third birthday, his heartbroken father Donal, originally from Enniscorthy and son of former town clerk Donal Snr, told how he and his wife Elena made the decision to donate their only son’s organs in order to help others.
“He often proclaimed himself to be a superhero. Thanks to the staff of Crumlin hospital and the transplant coordinator, we were able to give Cillian the opportunity to be a real superhero and his legacy lives on with those that he has helped.
“We would encourage parents to consider that ‘what if’ scenario in the event that they had to confront the horrific situation of the loss of their child, of the other families they could possibly help through organ donation,” Donal said.
Cillian collapsed in his bedroom on the night of October 10 and within minutes had stopped breathing.
Elena frantically performed CPR on the toddler while emergency services gave her instructions over the phone and an ambulance sped to their home.
Cillian was rushed toTallaght Hospitalbefore being transferred to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
He was placed on a life-support machine in the intensive-care unit.
Tragically, tests showed that there was no brain activity and, on October 12, Cillian was pronounced dead.
A scan later established that he had suffered a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage and that he had probably died within minutes of his collapse at home.
For further information on organ donation, visit www.beaumount.ie or www.citizensinformation.ie.
[Full story in this week’s Echo]