Birthday joy for brain op survivor

IT WAS a birthday they feared he might never celebrate.

But miracle boy Cian O’Brien beamed with joy on Saturday as family and friends helped him have the best party of his life.

Cian underwent complex brain surgery just more than a month ago to control debilitating epileptic seizures.

But he hadn’t a care in the world as he blew out five candles on his birthday cake on Saturday.

Cian hasn’t had a single seizure since the surgery.

His aunt Clare O’Brien said: “He was running around and tumbling all over the place at the party. We’re all exhausted after it but it was just fantastic to see.

“We would like to thank everybody for all the cards, messages and best wishes.”

Cian was born with cerebral palsy and was diagnosed with intractable epilepsy when he was two. The epilepsy was under control with medication until March, but it worsened.

He was suffering up to 400 seizures a day and he had to wear a helmet to protect his head. Brain surgery was deemed the only option to control his seizures.

Cian captured the heart of the nation in October when his mum, Kate, was forced to go public to highlight his plight after the procedure was postponed.

He got the operation on October 21 in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital.

It was expected he would be in hospital for up to two months. But he amazed doctors with the speed of his recovery. He was discharged to Cork University Hospital within a few days and was back home in Cork a week later.