'We want to make it come true': Dying girl's birthday wish is to talk to Ed Sheeran on FaceTime

Ed Sheeran on stage at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

The mother of a 12-year-old girl with a spinal tumour who has only, at most, six months to live has pleaded with singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran to fulfil her daughter’s last birthday wish.

The girl, who on Thursday settled a High Court action over an alleged delay in the diagnosis of the tumour, cannot be named by order of the court.

She turns 13 years' of age in mid-May and she has confided in her family her birthday wish is for Ed Sheeran to make a FaceTime call and talk to her for just a few minutes.

She also wants to walk on a beach and eat ice cream.

That can be arranged, but we so much want to fulfil her last birthday wish. 

"We want to make it come true,” her mother, who had earlier broken down in court as she told the High Court her daughter “is not going to last”, said.

The loving mum who has cared 24/7 for her daughter, has asked Ed Sheeran’s people to get in touch with the solicitor who brought their case to the High Court, Fiona Baxter of Baxter Mimnagh Solicitors, Longford, if he has time to link up.

The 12-year-old, who had sued over an alleged delay in the diagnosis of a tumour on her spine, settled her High Court action for €675,000.

The court heard she had first gone to a hospital A&E two years ago complaining of unexplained neck pain, but she was diagnosed as having a cyst.

Her counsel, Eugene Gleeson SC, told the court time for the 12-year-old “is now running out.” It was their case that her spinal tumour which he said was “an awful condition not amenable to treatment” should have been diagnosed two years earlier.

The settlement is against the HSE and Temple Street Children’s University Hospital.