Hi, I’m Darren,
I live in the West of Ireland with my wife and 2 young children. After a pretty uneventful Irish childhood I went to college in England to follow my passion for sports. During my second year of college I was diagnosed with Kidney failure. This shocking and life changing event took a great deal of getting used to. Looking back over the last 20 years, after 2 transplants and 1,800 hospital sessions, I can say I have fully regained control of my life, physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. It has been both a challenging and enlightening journey. A journey filled with impactful lessons on overcoming adversity, developing resilience and a constant striving for both good health and a better quality of life.
I currently work utilising the lessons and experiences I have learnt in overcoming ill health. I enjoy nothing more than speaking, educating and inspiring people using real life advice and guidance. I believe that when we accept the challenge of ill health we can go on to create better versions of ourselves. This Is the goal I set myself and I work towards helping others do the same, on their journey to better health.
Experiences, Achievements & Awards
- Voted the Highest Rated Guest Speaker at the 2014 & 2015 EDTNA/ERCA 3 day Conference in Riga, Latvia and Dresden, Germany.
- Inaugural winner of the national Santa Rita 120 Local Hero Award 2010. This was for promoting Donor Awareness in schools. The prize of €10,000 was donated to the 'Irish Kidney Association' to help dialysis patients compete in the European Transplant/Dialysis Games held in Dublin, for the first time, in 2010.
- The "Mayo Person of the Year 2005" awarded by Connaught Telegraph, Rehab, Mayo County Council.
- Speaker at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (2010) and Brussels (2012) to Policy Directors, MEP's, journalists from around Europe, and major pharmaceutical company representatives.
- Talks at major medical conferences in Dresden, Birmingham, Munich, Prague, Riga, and at the EDTNA/ERC European Conference at the National Conference Centre in Dublin 2011.
- Junior Chamber International (Ireland) Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2012.
- Speaker on the London Speakers Bureau website. Keynote address for the Cavan County Enterprise Boards annual Student Enterprise Awards in February 2012.
- Spoke alongside former Irish athlete Eamon Coughlan at the launch of the first European Transplant & Dialysis Games to be held in Dublin 2010.
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- Regular speaker for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund (www.PKRF.ie).
- Speaker at the Irish Lets Work West EXPO 2011.
- Twice received the Western People Newspapers "Sports Star of the Year Awards" for successes at the World and European Transplant & Dialysis Games.
- Mayo News article MIND OVER MATTER July 2007
- Featured in TV Documentaries Including TV3's "The Gift of Life", and a documentary based around peoples thoughts and experiences on a trip to Lourdes called "Faith Hope & Plastic." Featured on Irish TV current affairs programmes.
- Featured in numerous pharmaceutical company's DVDs across Europe for in house promotional & motivational purposes.
- Radio interviews on RTE 1, 2fm, Newstalk and numerous local radio stations.
- Guest Speaker for Health & Pharmaceutical Organisations