Teacher and Spirit of NI winner Séana in a class of her own

Such an incredible gesture deserves to be celebrated in its own right, but one woman’s drive to educate her pupils about the subject saw her honoured at last year’s Sunday Life Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards, in partnership with Ulster Bank

Séana Maguire was named our Spirit of Education winner, recognising her tireless commitment to campaigning and her hard work as head of Spanish at Aquinas Grammar School in Belfast.

Catching up a year on, she told us: “Receiving the award was a huge honour and meant a lot to have the organ donation education work in our school recognised.

“To be nominated by the Northern Ireland Organ Donation Team of specialist nurses made it all the more special.

“It was an unforgettable night, and it was humbling to hear the other award winners’ stories and the contributions they are making in their communities.

She disclosed the Key Stage Five enrichment module in organ donation continued to blossom this year. Despite being an opt-in module, there was a full house of interested pupils in the classroom.

“NHS Blood and Transport nurses continued to support us, just as they have right from the start, along with the Belfast Trust transplant team, with Professor Tim Brown giving a lecture on World Kidney Day,” Séana explained.

“Paediatric nephrologist Dr Mairead Convery gave an illuminating lecture about the kidney and kidney disease in children, and Orla Smyth from Transplant Sport NI shared her experiences as a transplant recipient and athlete.

“Our pupils were also treated to a wonderful day At Queen’s University as part of the Science Festival, taking part in the Transplantation Tales workshop, along with over 100 pupils from six schools.

“(They worked) directly with clinicians from all aspects of the transplant journey to create storyboards to help explain to young people undergoing transplantation what they may be going through.

“This was truly inspirational and allowed pupils to work directly with surgeons, nurses, psychologists, dieticians, academic researchers and charities.

“This year we have also begun our collaboration with the Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund, who came in to speak about their unique work as a charity in supporting kidney research in Northern Ireland.”

Two relay teams of Aquinas pupils will run in the Belfast City Marathon on May 5 to support the charity.

She added: “Organ donation and transplantation is a topic which can affect anyone, in any community, at any time in our lives.

“Empowering young people with the right information to help them to have conversations with loved ones and to make informed decisions encourages them to develop empathy and altruism.

“I would like to thank the Public Health Agency (PHA) for this award and for the great work that is being done to help support teachers in Northern Ireland to teach this important topic from primary to post-primary.”

Last year’s award, presented to Séana by Emmerdale’s Dominic Brunt and TV personality Debbie McGee, was supported by the PHA, and we are privileged to have the agency back again for this year.

It said: “The PHA and Organ Donation Northern Ireland are delighted to support the education category in this year’s Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards — a celebration of ordinary people achieving extraordinary things.

“Raising awareness of organ donation, and the gift of life which it can provide, is very important.

“We welcomed new organ donation legislation which came into effect on June 1, 2023, and aims to help save more lives.

‘Dáithí’s Law means if organ donation is a possibility, unless they opt out, all adults will be considered as potential donors.

“We recognise the importance of young people in championing topics such as organ donation, and we are excited about the recent launch of our education resources for primary school pupils, and plans for our post-primary education resources.

“We often work with dedicated and enthusiastic teachers to help engage with our young people, and this is why supporting the education category is important.

“If you know of a truly inspirational teacher who has helped children and young people fulfil their potential, we would encourage you to submit a nomination.”

The Sunday Life Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards, in partnership with Ulster Bank, seeks out and celebrates the unsung heroes, the people who have made a difference to the lives of others with no thought of reward.

This year’s awards ceremony, hosted by UTV’s Pamela Ballantine and Cool FM presenter Pete Snodden, will be held at the Culloden Resort and Spa on Friday, June 14.

We want to cheerlead for those people who have demonstrated a spirit of compassion, neighbourliness, charity, courage or devotion, or those who have gone beyond the call of duty in the fields of education, the emergency services, the caring sector, health or sport. All nominations are welcome and we want you to nominate for one of 13 awards this year.

All of our categories are listed here today, and we are seeking people who have demonstrated a spirit of compassion, neighbourliness, charity, courage or devotion, or those who have gone beyond the call of duty in the fields of education, the emergency services, the caring sector, health or sport.

Email your nomination to spiritofniawards@sundaylife.co.uk with an explanation of why you think they deserve to be recognised.

Alternatively, you can post nominations to Sunday Life Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards, 33 Clarendon Road, Belfast BT1 3BG.

If you would like to support the Aquinas Grammar School pupils running the Belfast City Marathon, visit www.justgiving.com/page/nikrf-aquinas-kidney-runners

The categories

Charity Champion: Someone who has worked tirelessly for a charity or as a fundraiser for many years.

Spirit of Education: A truly inspirational teacher who has helped children and young people fulfil their potential.

Unsung Hero: Someone whose great deed or deeds have previously gone unnoticed but who has made a major contribution to your life or to your community.

Caring Spirit: A person who has dedicated their time to caring for a friend or family member.

Young Carer: A young person who has dedicated their time to caring for a friend or family member.

Spirit of Youth: Someone under the age of 18 who should be recognised for their special achievements.

Spirit of Sport: Someone who has made an exceptional contribution to sport over a number of years.

999 Hero: A member of the emergency services who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their job.

Spirit of Health: A medical professional who has gone the extra mile to improve the health and wellbeing of their patients.

Overcoming Adversity: Someone who has overcome huge personal challenges, whether it is dealing with illness or disability or overcoming problems.

Eco Champion: Seeks to recognise an individual or community group that has gone the extra mile to care for and protect the local environment for future generations.

Community Hero: Someone who has made an outstanding contribution to their local community or neighbourhood.

Special Recognition: Someone who the judges feel represents the Spirit of NI by selflessly serving others and being an inspiration.