Eugene Hassard with the trike that he will be using for the upcoming races RMG24
TWO years ago this April, Eugene Hassard was told that his time was almost up following a 22 year battle with diabetes.
Fast forward 48 hours and he woke up in hospital with two new organs, giving him a second shot at life.
The Enniskillen man has a lot to be thankful for after coming back from the brink. The 53-year-old has endured 13 operations in three years including the double transplant.
“I’ll never forget April 5th 2014 when my renal consultant told me my kidneys were done and I had a very short time left. I had been on dialysis three times a week for over four years while waiting for a transplant so things weren’t looking good. I went home and was in a state of shock. I was thinking all sorts of things like never being able to walk my daughter Aine down the aisle.
“My wife Kate took a phonecall later that night and it was the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh to say they had a kidney and pancreas for me. The eleven hour operation saved my life and took away my diabetes.”
That wasn’t the end of Eugene’s troubles though as his condition has also cost him a leg.
“On Valentine’s Day last year, I had an amputation. I had gangarene in my big toe and it spread to the bone so they had to take my left leg off below the knee.
“Soon afterwards they discovered the same problem in my right foot and they had to remove part of it to stop it. Thankfully they got it in time and didn’t have to take my leg off in the same way. That was a saving grace. My consultant in Belfast, James Sharkey, has also saved my eyesight as I was very close to complete loss.”
Despite all of this, the former barber, who had a business in Belmore Street, and boxer has a hugely positive attitude on life but says he has no one to blame for what has happened but himself. He hopes his story will be a wake -up call to others.
“It was all my own fault from having had a very sweet tooth all my life. When I was first diagnosed I was told that if I looked after the diabetes I would be OK but if I didn’t I would be back with my GP. I didn’t look after it and I was back with him within 20 years.
“I would urge anyone with diabetes to follow the instructions of their GP to a T because as I have discovered, it’s a very dangerous illness.
“If I could go around schools and show young people the damage that can be done from eating too many chocolate bars and sweets I would do it. I don’t want them to end up in a similar situation in the future on dialysis and needing a transplant because there’s no guarantee you will get one.”
With his new lease of life, Eugene is gearing up for the Fisher Charity Cycle Challenge in May to raise funds for a bus for Willowbridge School which his son Conor previously attended. A month later he will take part in the Enniskillen 10k in aid of the British Red Cross in Enniskillen to purchase new wheelchairs for children and adults.
“For some reason I have come out the other side. I love life now and I’m as healthy as can be. I get about now on my artifical leg and also on a specially adapted tricycle. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead and doing my bit to say thank you for this second chance that I’m very grateful to have been given,” Eugene added.
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