Mayo student gives uplifting and heartfelt Late Late interview

Mayo student Michaela Morley appeared on the latest episode of The Late Late Show last Friday night.

Ms Morley joined host, Patrick Kielty, alongside Irish rugby legend, Brian O’Driscoll.

The pair struck up their unlikely friendship when Michaela met the rugby star during her time in Temple Street Hospital in 2011, where at six-years-old she was receiving dialysis treatment due to lack of function in her kidneys.

The pair stayed in touch over the years, opening the renal unit at Temple Street children's hospital together in 2018.

Speaking on the day she first met Mr O’Driscoll, the Ballyglass woman said she remembers ‘a bit of it’.‘

“I remember himself (O’Driscoll), and a few more of the Leinster rugby team coming in, and they had the Heineken trophy with them, and then they came up to the dialysis ward and I happened to be getting treatment that day.

“They were giving all the kids the challenge of throwing the small ball into the trophy, and when it came to my turn I managed to get it in, it just happened to be captured on camera,” she added, referring to the photo below.

_{Michaela Morley explained the iconic photo (pic: RTÉ one)}

The Leaving Certificate student of Mount St Michael’s secondary school in Claremorris said her life has ‘changed tremendously’ since her kidney transplant in 2012.

“My health was so bad before like, my appetite was very bad, I wasn’t eating, I was peg fed up until the transplant, and I was just up and down three times a week from Mayo It’s not an easy journey for anyone to make, especially coming from Mayo, at the time when we hadn‘t the good road we have now.”

Cracking up the audience, Mr O’Driscoll commented: “It’s too late Leo’s gone,” referring to former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, who was also a guest on the episode.

Brought on the show to raise awareness and celebrate Organ Donor Awareness week, Mr O’Driscoll said ‘the big thing’ is to download the organ donor app on your phone, or telling your loved ones that ‘you want that’.

“I know I’ve had that conversation with my wife, if the unthinkable happens, that you are offering life to other people,” he said.

Telling viewers the story of Hannah Kiely, whose parents Marie and Denis launched Organ Donor Awareness week, the former Irish captain said after they lost their daughter, in ‘their darkest hour, they managed to save four other lives, what an incredible gift to be able to do’.

“I’m sitting beside living proof of the success stories and I think it’s really important for people to see that,” he concluded.

You can download your digital organ donor awareness card from the Irish Kidney Association’s website.

Watch the full interview below.