A young Meath mother is set to undergo life-saving brain surgery in New York next week, having successfully raised the funds needed for the specialist procedure.
Sharon Ball, who is fighting an exceptionally rare form of bone cancer known as stage 4 skull-based osteosarcoma, recently travelled to America with her husband, Dermot. The 38-year-old primary school teacher and mother-of-three received her diagnosis in October and endured several rounds of chemotherapy, which sadly proved ineffective.
However, in a recent update posted to her GoFundMe page, Sharon expressed that her heart is ‘filled with gratitude’ as she prepares for the procedure. “Surgery is booked for Monday, 6th, and my heart is filled with gratitude. Thank you to everyone who has donated, encouraged and helped make this possible. Your generosity, kindness, prayers and love truly mean more than words can ever say,” she shared, reports RSVP Live.
Sharon also uploaded a photograph of herself outside the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York, recognised as one of America’s leading hospitals for cancer treatment. The pair anticipate staying in the States for several months, as Sharon will need additional treatment after the initial surgery, plus recovery time near the medical facility.
Sharon outside the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York(Image: GoFundMe)
Sharon is a dedicated mother to her three young children, Jack (6), Louis (4) and Sophie (9 months), and maintains she is determined to do ‘everything she can’ to be present to watch her children grow up. Sharon’s loved ones have been desperately working to secure the funds required for her life-saving surgery, and thanks to the extraordinary generosity of nearly 18,000 donors, they have smashed through their initial €650k target within days, with the total now standing at an remarkable €800,000.
Sharon Ball with her family
Catriona O’Brien, Sharon’s sister-in-law, launched the fundraiser last week and has appealed to the public to keep the young woman in their thoughts and prayers.
Donations to Sharon’s cause can be made via the GoFundMe page.
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