Trudy Hayes is an Irish Kidney Association charity runner taking part in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon on Sunday, 27th October.

Here is her story:

"Back in 2007 I was just really, really busy working away. I had a great job, we had a lovely house we were doing up, we were engaged to be married—I just thought that was the way my life was now."

While working in London Trudy started experiencing excruciating headaches that she initially brushed off.

"I was never the type of person to take a day off, but the headaches were getting so bad I started to vomit with them."

She returned to Dublin where she was diagnosed with organ failure.

"I was really nervous; I didn't really know what that meant—but I had quite a positive attitude."

Trudy started dialysis which involved hours and hours attached to a machine.

"As somebody who's busy, busy, go-go all the time, it's very hard for me to sit still—so I struggled with that a lot."

For Trudy, she knew that an organ transplant was the ultimate goal in situations like this.

"It's not a cure: I know a lot of people... they think that's the end of it then, you're cured. But actually it's just the best form of treatment that they have."

Her father was identified as a match and stepped up to donate a kidney.

"Unfortunately after about eight months to a year, that started to fail—my body started to reject it. That was awful, and the guilt of that obviously for me."

After receiving further treatments and regaining her strength over five long years, Trudy received another kidney from her mother.

"My mum got tested; she was thankfully a 100% match, which is amazing. I've had no trouble since then, and it's been an absolute dream; back to life, and experience life the way I used to experience it."

Now, Trudy is urging people to consider organ donation as part of their legacy. For Trudy Hayes, organ donation is more than just giving an organ; it's about giving life.

"It's something that nobody thinks about until a family or friend is in this position. Nor should you probably want to think about it on a daily basis. One person can save up to seven people's lives: that's a massive legacy to leave behind, I think."

You can donate to Trudy’s fundraiser at https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/pages/TH23457577