Family’s global appeal for help for Aoife, three

THE family of a three-year-old Irish girl battling a rare brain tumour have appealed to the world for information that might lead to her cure.

Toddler Aoife McGrane-King is halfway through a six-week course of radiotherapy at St Luke’s Hospital in Dublin but doctors have told her parents that is all they can do for her and they must prepare for the worst.

On the standard prognosis given in cases like hers, Aoife will be lucky to see another Christmas.

But although they are still reeling from the shock diagnosis that shattered their world a month ago, her family are determined to give her every fighting chance.

“I think we’ve spent thousands of hours on the internet since we got the diagnosis,” said her uncle Keith McGrane.

“We believe someone, somewhere will be able to offer us an alternative."

Aoife has an unusual brain stem tumour which usually defies surgery.

There were just three similar cases in Ireland last year and only two survivors of the condition here in the past 30 years. But in the US, doctors are beginning to beat the odds and develop ways of reducing the tumours.

Copies of Aoife’s files have been sent to US hospitals developing pioneering neurosurgical techniques and her family are hoping a doctor there or elsewhere will take up her case.

The family, from Killester made enquiries about the cost of surgery in the US and found it would take a minimum of €100,000 to cover hospital fees alone without taking into consideration flights, accommodation and post-surgical care.

Neighbours of the family have started fundraising and clubmates of Aoife’s dad, Tomás McGrane, a star player with the Dublin senior hurlers and member of St Vincent’s , are also backing the effort.

In the meantime, Tomás and Aoife’s mum Lisa are faced with daily trips to St Luke’s where their child is put asleep by gas so she is perfectly still while she receives radiation treatment.

“She hates the gas mask,” Lisa told the Marian Finucane radio show yesterday.

“And she’s on steroids that make her bloated. She used to be a skinny little thing but she has a little pot belly and her face is swollen.”

“She doesn’t know how frightened I am for her. I have to be strong for her because she needs me now more than she ever has.”

An independently operated fund has been set up to raise money for Aoife.

Donations can be made to the Aoife McGrane King Fund at Permanent TSB, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

Account number: 84959387. Sort code: 990601.