It was a double celebration for the Fahy family of Ballinasloe when their son – six months on from a lifesaving transplant – had his medication tube removed on the same day his big sister graduated with an honours degree, just months after donating her bone marrow.
Now Tomás Ó Brion Fahy is looking forward to returning to Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh in Ballinasloe at Christmas following his lifesaving transplant at Leeds University Hospital last March.
His sister Róisín, who had been studying environmental science at University of Limerick, donated her bone marrow at St James’ Hospital in Dublin.
Eight-year-old Tomás was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia a year ago after his mam Úna Ní Bhroin noticed some unusual bruising while he was swimming. It’s a condition that affects two in a million people, where the bone marrow does not produce enough red and white cells as well as platelets.
Everything went as well as it could have, reflects Úna. The family spent two months instead of an expected three months in the UK during his recovery before being transferred back to Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin.
“He reached another milestone when he had his Hickman line removed at the hospital and was feeling so good that we were all able to drive to Limerick for Róisín’s graduation which was fantastic because she also received the Cooperative Education Award for her placement at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),” said Úna.
Caption: Happy family…(from left) Úna, Meadbh, Teegan, Róisín, Tomás and Padraig Fahy, at Róisín’s graduation in UL.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.