A Galway father of three is marking 20 years since receiving a life-saving kidney transplant this month –– by running five kilometres every day throughout July to honour his donor and raise funds for the Irish Kidney Association.

Dean Walsh’s 31-day challenge culminates today (Thursday), with his final run alongside his entire family and friends, finishing at the Swamp at 8pm, home of his beloved West United.

Dean, from New Road in Galway city – now 43 years old and self-employed – says the idea came to him in March this year as a way to mark two decades of life and health since his transplant in July 2005 and to honour his donor and their family.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky,” he says.

“I’ve had no hospital stays since receiving my transplant when I was 23, and I feel blessed to have been able to lead a normal life get married and become a father.

“I knew I wanted to do something special to honour my donor and show my gratitude to the Irish Kidney Association which supported me.”

Caption: Family pride… Dean Kelly with his wife Siobhan and their children Emma and Shay on one of their month of 5k runs for the Irish Kidney Association.

Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play. To donate to Dean’s fundraiser the Irish Kidney Association, visit: www.idonate.ie/fundraiser /DeansKidneyTransplant.