Angeline Cooke Obituary, Death – Angeline Cooke, who resided on Maunsells Road, Galway, passed away unexpectedly on March 31st, 2023, and the Board of Directors, Officials, and Members of the Irish Kidney Association felt an overwhelming sense of loss upon hearing the news. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and all of her close friends. Angeline, who was one of the first members of the Association, had a kidney transplant in the year 1996. She had been able to benefit from the successful lifespan of this transplant for almost 25 years before she had to start receiving therapy via dialysis.

Angeline and her late husband Bernard, who died away in 2012, devoted their time and efforts as volunteers throughout their life to helping renal patients at the Galway branch of the Irish Kidney Association. They were founding members of the Association in 1978, the year it was created, and they were completely dedicated to one another. They came together as a pair with the same goal of ensuring that patients in need of transplants and dialysis would, while under their care, be provided with the highest quality care and facilities that were available.

Angeline and Bernard were aware of the significance of enhancing the amenities available to patients, whether it be hospital equipment, haemodialysis transport arrangements, respite holidays, patient help, or something else else. They both committed themselves to accomplishing these objectives by making a sustained effort to become prominent fund-raisers. Angeline continued, even after Bernard’s demise, to be an active member of the local branch of the Association and to commit her support to the Association as a whole. She attended every single meeting of the local branch right up to the day she passed away.

The nurses and medical staff at University Hospital Galway, who took care of her during her stay there, will remember her with fondness. She was consistently appreciative toward the dialysis personnel in Unit 7 for the attention that they provided her. The former committed schoolteacher was polite and gentle spoken, but she was not hesitant to speak out when she observed injustice. Her expertise and experience were of enormous use to the Board’s policy making, and she did not shy away from making her voice heard. Her efforts contributed to the establishment of a culture at the IKA that was compassionate to patients and always acted in their best interests, which the organization still benefits from to this day.

Angeline was a talented painter and also had a deep appreciation for music. Her watercolors have been shown in several galleries and museums, and many people now proudly display them in their own homes. She encouraged individuals on dialysis to pursue their artistic interests. Angeline talked highly of her sister-in-law Frank, her sister-in-law Eithne, and their daughter Vicky, all of whom resided in the area and were a consistent source of support for Angeline. Also, she maintained consistent communication via WhatsApp with her late sister’s daughter, Vicky, as well as her grandniece, Deborah, who both reside in Switzerland.

Angeline’s relative Marie, who is originally from Clonmel, had also been a recipient of an organ transplant—specifically, a liver transplant—over seventeen years earlier. She will never forget how fortunate she was to have such amazing neighbors, and in especially Anne, who visited her home on a frequent basis.