James of Shannon, Co Clare, campaigned for justice for his daughter Aoife, who died at age 16 in 2022 after she contracted sepsis but had to wait over 15 hours for medication that could have saved her life.
An inquest in 2024 concluded Aoife’s death was due to medical misadventure – which the family had sought – after she waited 15 hours and 15 minutes for medication to treat meningitis and sepsis.
Her parents had watched Aoife’s condition deteriorate and pleaded for their critically ill daughter to be seen by a doctor.
Ultimately, she wasn’t seen by a doctor for 12 hours after arriving at UHL, despite having a letter from a ShannonDoc GP that said Aoife was suspected to have sepsis.
Speaking to the Irish Independent after the inquest into her death in 2024, Mr Johnston said of Aoife: “She was just a cool kid”.
James Johnston with his wife Carol, (centre right) and daughters Kate (left) and Meagan (right) at an inquest for his daughter Aoife. Photo: Brendan Gleeson.
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Pointing to one of the photos of Aoife that flanked the coroner’s desk in the courtroom, Mr Johnston said Aoife posed specially for that portrait.
“That was Aoife, she was our baby. She was my cool kid,” he said.
Mr Johnston said no other family should have to endure their loss – and the people of the mid-west now needed action, not words, over healthcare improvements at UHL.
“Let’s hope that is it not all talk. They need to get on with it and sort it out. No more people should die in that hospital. For 100pc they need to sort it out,” he said.
Mid West Hospital Campaign paid tribute to James and said he was “now reunited with his beloved daughter Aoife”.
In a death notice for Mr Johnston, it said he passed away surrounded by his loving family at Milford Care Centre in Limerick.
“Predeceased by his daughter Aoife and father Jim. Deeply missed by his heartbroken family, wife Carol, daughters Meagan and Kate, mother Evelyn, brothers Adrian and Mark, sister Maxine, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, extended family, neighbours and his many friends.
“May James’s gentle soul Rest in Peace,” his death notice reads.
James’ funeral ripmass will take place in Shannon on Monday.