Home just in time for Santa

ALICE Clarke is two years old and, like all little girls of her age, is really excited about Christmas.

But this year will be extra special for the Wicklow toddler and her family because after being diagnosed with leukaemia in July, and spending the last six months undergoing a gruelling treatment schedule, she will be allowed home for the holidays.

And for her family — mum, Aoife, who works as a secretary, dDad, Stephen, an accountant, and big brother Ben, 14 — the festive season will be made all the happier by having Alice with them on Dec 25.

“Last summer Alice had a persistent cold which seemed to linger for weeks,” recalls Aoife. “She also had quite a few bruises and a couple of nose bleeds, but it didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary for the average toddler. Then one day when I was at work my mum rang and said Alice seemed to be really lethargic and I should take her to the doctor for a check-up.

“My GP was very calm as she examined her and told me that it might be a good idea to take her to Crumlin to have her bloods checked — she told me to pack a bag in case she needed an overnight stay and I remember thinking how inconvenient it would be to have to stay in hospital — little did I know.”

Aoife brought her daughter straight to Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin and a couple of hours later received the news that is every parent’s worst nightmare.

“When we arrived at A&E, we were brought to a little room and told to wait there while the bloods were being checked,” she recalls. “Within two hours of our arrival, we were told that our baby had leukaemia. It was devastating and I can only describe it as looking into a big, black hole with no way out — all I could think of was that I was going to lose my daughter and I was totally heartbroken.

There was little time for being upset as Alice had to begin treatment immediately. “Unfortunately, she didn’t respond well to the initial procedures so was re-diagnosed as a higher risk patient with an 85% chance of survival. These odds are, of course, fantastic but as a parent, you can’t help but dwell on the fact that your child has a 15% chance of not making it.”

Over the course of the past six months, Alice has undergone several bouts of chemotherapy, has been fitted with a nasal gastric tube and has had eight visits to theatre for lumbar punctures, but the little girl has remained happy and cheerful despite having to deal with a situation most adults would even find traumatic.

“Alice is a really bright, funny and cheerful little girl who had never been ill before this,” says Aoife. “Obviously I am biased, but she is a really endearing person. I know if I was going through half of the things she has over the past few months, I definitely wouldn’t be as upbeat as she is.

“There have been times when she has been in serious pain and rather than complaining about it, would just lay on the bed whimpering quietly to herself — that was devastating to watch.

“But on her good days she is just amazing and bounces around the hospital smiling and chatting to everyone.

“She actually loves it in there and the staff have been amazing — they have looked after us so well from the moment she was diagnosed, in fact, I would say that they haven’t just been nursing Alice, they have nursed the whole family through this ordeal.”

Now halfway through her first year of treatment, Alice is expected to have ongoing chemotherapy for the next three years, but her family is focussed on the step. taking every day at a time and at the moment they are all overjoyed that she will be home for Christmas and they can celebrate together.

“Alice has to have another bout of chemo on Christmas Eve and, providing all goes well, she will be home with us on Christmas Day,” says Aoife.

“She has just begun to realise about Santa and Ben does a great job of building up the excitement for her.

“The four of us will spend the day with my mother, sister and brother-in-law and enjoy some lovely family time.

“Obviously there will be some limitations as normally we would go to Farmleigh House or somewhere like that for a walk, but we can’t expose Alice to crowds as she is really susceptible to infections which could be very dangerous for her recovery — but staying at home is a small price to pay for keeping her safe.

“It is a very special and emotional time for us — our baby is just a little scrap of a thing but she has been through so much and we are eternally grateful for everyone who has worked so hard to help her recover. The doctors and nurses at Crumlin are truly fantastic and we have put our faith in them completely.

“It’s hard for a parent to see their child go through so much — the pain, the treatment, losing her lovely golden curls — but at the end of the day we know that the medical staff are doing everything they can for her.

“The next few years are going to be hard for Alice and the rest of the family, but we are taking each day as it comes and being as positive as we can about the future.

“And in the meantime, we are going do everything we can to ensure she has the best Christmas possible.”

* The Crumlin Christmas Appeal in aid of St John’s Cancer Ward is currently underway. To donate to this cause visit www.cmrf.org or call 01-7091700.