The Wexford community and beyond have rallied behind a young Wexford girl once again…
Young Wexford girl, Fiadh O’Connor, has received a lot of support as she starts her battle with cancer once again.
Fiadh’s parents, Laura O’Connor and Rory O’Connor shared a heartbreaking update on their GoFundMe page yesterday. They shared the news that their daughter’s cancer has returned and that they are asking for financial help again to allow Fiadh to obtain the treatment that she needs in New York, America.
It reads:
“We are heartbroken to have to write this update. Fiadh’s cancer has returned. It is our worst nightmare. At only 4 years of age, Fiadh is fighting for her life for a second time.
In early April, Fiadh’s scans were clear and Fiadh was a happy, healthy little girl who celebrated her 4th birthday. Just 7 weeks later, after feeling unwell for a few days, doctors discovered an 8cm tumour attached to the major blood vessels in Fiadh’s tummy. She was immediately transferred by emergency ambulance to Crumlin’s Children’s Hospital where she began life-saving chemotherapy all over again. Our lives have been turned upside down once again. It’s devastating to watch our little girl go through this for a second time.
As you know, Fiadh was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive stage 4 childhood cancer called neuroblastoma 2 and a half years ago. She has endured so much treatment already. When this aggressive cancer comes back, as Fiadh’s unfortunately has, the survival rate is extremely poor, less than 10%.
Fiadh’s doctors in Crumlin Children’s Hospital, in conjunction with her doctors in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York, have advised that Fiadh needs extensive surgery with intraoperative radiotherapy to save her life. This full-day surgery, around her vital organs and intra-operative radiotherapy treatment is not available in Ireland and we need to travel to America in early August for their world-leading expertise to help Fiadh survive.
We are currently focusing on getting Fiadh through the next 4 weeks of chemotherapy in Crumlin before she has to travel to MSK for surgery. We appreciate every support you have all given us so far and it breaks our hearts to have to ask for help again. As any person would understand, we will do anything we can to help Fiadh survive.
As you are probably aware, medical treatment in America is very expensive and while the Future For Fiadh Trust has remaining funds after her initial treatment in MSK, we need a further €119,950 to get Fiadh access to the life-saving surgery and radiotherapy for treatment of her relapse. This money will pay for Fiadh’s medical treatment only. Fiadh’s close family and friends will continue to help her family with expenses.
We would appreciate every share, support and donation possible,” it reads.
At the time of writing, €540,000 has been raised from their new €590,000 target. Those interested in donating to the fundraiser can do so by clicking the link here and making an online donation.
