Mother’s battle over son’s juvenile arthritis care

WHAT began as a pain in Fergal Buckley’s side in January 2009 took six months to diagnose as juvenile arthritis and almost another six months to secure an appointment with the appropriate medical expert.

The then nine-year-old boy was initially diagnosed with a kidney infection but when the pain failed to go away, his doctor referred him to Cork University Hospital (CUH) in February for further investigation.

His mother Niamh felt little was done for him and he was sent home the same day. Two weeks later he was back at CUH, but no progress was made and he was sent home once more.