Huge generosity for ‘bionic ear’ boy

As a deaf three-year-old boy prepares to fly to England tomorrow for pioneering “bionic ear” surgery his family have said they have been touched by the number of people who have donated money to a fund set up to help him.

Calum Geary, from Ballyhooly, Co Cork, will undergo the operation in Manchester University Hospital next Tuesday, but it will be eight weeks before the implant will be switched on.

His father, Andrew, said the family were “blown away” by the number of people who have organised fundraisers to help with the cost of his treatment.

The HSE has agreed to pay for the operation, but the family will have to find e60,000 themselves to cover the follow-up treatment, which will include the services of language therapists in California.

“There has been a great response to the fundraising from the length and breath of the country. We have found the whole process very humbling to see people making such generous donations at a time of great hardship,” Mr Geary said.

Mr Geary, who is a Garda sergeant based in Co Waterford, said the family were touched in particular by a card which came from second class pupils at Notre Dame Junior School, Upper Churchtown Road, Dublin 14, who held a cake sale to raise funds for Calum.

Students at NUI Galway also contacted the family saying they intended to undertake a sponsored climb of Croagh Patrick.

“Fundraising events have occurred all over North Cork and Cork City. Further events are being organised for Dungarvan, Youghal, Cork City, Ballydesmond and every village and town in and around Fermoy and Ballyhooly.”

It’s estimated that about e15,000 has been raised so far, e2,000 of which came from Vita Cortex workers who decided to divert the proceeds of one of their own fundraisers to Calum.