In a front page story, The Irish Times reported on February 2, 2008 that the State has reversed its position and agreed to pay for a spinal operation in London for a 12-year-old Cork girl with Rett Syndrome who has been on a waiting list for surgery at a Dublin hospital for 10 months.
In an earlier post on the subject, we reported that an inspired anonymous Irish donor had agreed to fund the surgery after hearing the plight of the girl. The press reports on this story apparently spawned much debate on the subject. The government health services agency was reported to have said “the rules of the Treatment Abroad Scheme had been changed by the Department of Health”.
This abrupt change came as a wonderful surprise. Bernadette Kelleher, the girl’s mother, described the development as "unbelievable", given all the family had been put through. According to the Irish Times article, the businessman who offered to pay for the operation indicated that “if the Kellehers did not eventually need the money, he would make it available for another cause”.
This is a wonderful Rett syndrome story that goes well beyond helping just one person. It shows that raising awareness of one girl’s plight can make a profoundly positive impact on others seeking similar medical treatments abroad. We extend our kudos to all involved in making this happen.
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