Saoirse's Story
Saoirse McDonagh Davis was born on 29 January 2015. It was normal delivery and a healthy baby. It was not until later that things changed. In late February 2016, she became unwell and developed a kidney infection that led to hospitalisation.
The infection progressed to pyelonephritis, and Saoirse was placed under the care of a paediatrician in Limerick. Because her dad Gary has Alport syndrome, a hereditary kidney condition, the consultant advised yearly reviews and told Stella, Saoirse’s mother, to keep an eye on Saoirse’s urine in the meantime.
At home Stella noticed that Saoirse’s urine continued to show blood. At first the family put it down to the severe infection she had just experienced, but it did not clear. Stella pushed for a referral to CHI at Temple Street, and that is where they met Dr Stack, who would become Saoirse’s consultant. For the next few years Saoirse attended her clinics, first yearly and then more often.
In 2018 she underwent a kidney biopsy which confirmed that she, like her father, had Alport syndrome.
From then on it became a matter of managing decline. Appointments moved from yearly to six-monthly, and the medical team did everything they could to preserve kidney function. By June 2024 that was no longer possible. After a routine clinic visit, Stella was told that Saoirse would have to begin dialysis. She was admitted to hospital, had a peritoneal dialysis catheter inserted, and began treatment two or three days later. Peritoneal dialysis became part of life for almost a year.
In May 2025 Saoirse became very sick. She was admitted again and stayed for about ten weeks. During that admission she transitioned from peritoneal dialysis to haemodialysis. It was a major change for her. She was discharged towards the end of June or beginning of July and since then has been travelling from her home in County Clare to Temple Street three days a week for treatment.
Life at home is shaped by a unique circumstance. Gary is also on dialysis and attends his own unit in Limerick. For Saoirse this has been both helpful and hard. She grew up familiar with the equipment and the routine because she watched her dad complete peritoneal dialysis at home. She knew the fluids, the bags and the terminology long before most children would.
At the same time she has seen the other side of illness, the periods when Gary was extremely unwell. Stella says this makes the experience easier in some ways and more difficult in others.
The family also includes Saoirse’s older sister, who is 22. All four of them have been adjusting to the demands of dialysis and the unpredictability of hospital stays. Saoirse’s time in Temple Street was a big adjustment. Stella remembers bringing her to Dublin expecting a small fix to her dialysis line, only to learn that they were facing weeks of treatment. “We just did not know,” she says.
What helped was the environment created by the staff on St Michael C and in the haemodialysis unit. Saoirse loves fun and talk and she found both there. Nurses and staff made sure she had things to look forward to. She is a Eurovision fan, so they held a Eurovision party. She opened her own hair salon in the unit and the staff queued for hair styling and massages.
She organised sports days. Play specialist Rebecca arranged activities throughout the summer, including music sessions, cooking and even a visit from alpacas. Saoirse also met the Kerry footballers, lifted the Sam Maguire Cup and was featured on the news. “It was a great boost for them,” Stella says. “It really lifts their spirits.”
Support for parents is always present too. Stella says the team will always take a moment to chat, no matter how busy they are. She and Gary feel comfortable stepping out for a coffee because they know Saoirse is so well cared for. The psychologist Kylie visits twice a week, and the social worker and nursing team all know Saoirse well from her frequent visits.
Saoirse is now officially on the deceased donor transplant list. The family are waiting for the call that will change everything. “We are so proud of her,” Stella says. “All the kids are so brave up there.”