Firemen respond to special call-out

Firemen responded to a very special call-out at the weekend to help a colleague whose son has a chronic kidney disease.

They took a vintage fire-truck to a major fundraiser outside Cork to support fire-fighter, Steven O’Brien, whose son, Aidan, is being treated for focal segmental glomerularscelerosis (FSGS) — severe scarring of the tissue in the filtering units of the kidney.

“We were absolutely overwhelmed by the response from people,” said Steven, a member of Cork City Fire Brigade’s Amber Watch. “Aidan is one of just a handful of people here with the severe form of the condition.

“The symptoms of the disease can leave him feeling very tired and he is prone to fluid retention. He’s missed a lot of school because of the condition.”

Steven and his wife Vicki also announced plans to set up a new support group to help Irish families in the same position.

“We’ve decided to set up a Facebook page to offer help and advice to other parents in the same situation, and we have plans to set up a resource website too,” Steven said.

Aidan, 6, is being cared for by a team of medical experts at Crumlin Children’s Hospital led by Dr Mary Waldron.

His condition is being managed through a strict regime, which includes 24-hour monitoring of blood pressure.

While research into the condition is ongoing, the family are pinning their hopes of a new generation of hi-tech drugs which are currently in development.

In the meantime, the family, including Aidan’s older sister, Kate, 12, and brother Robbie, 9, were joined by family, friends and supporters in Bottlehill at the weekend for a 5k sponsored walk organised by the Bottlehill fundraising committee.

Steven’s fire fighting colleagues brought the city fire brigade’s vintage fire truck along — a vehicle Steven’s late father, Robert, used to drive during his time in the fire service.

The majority of funds raised will be donated to the nephrology ward in Crumlin.