It was a double celebration for the Fahy family of Ballinasloe when their son \u2013 six months on from a lifesaving transplant \u2013 had his medication tube removed on the same day his big sister graduated with an honours degree, just months after donating her bone marrow.<\/p>\n
Now Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 Brion Fahy is looking forward to returning to Scoil U\u00ed Cheithearnaigh in Ballinasloe at Christmas following his lifesaving transplant at Leeds University Hospital last March.<\/p>\n
His sister R\u00f3is\u00edn, who had been studying environmental science at University of Limerick, donated her bone marrow at St James\u2019 Hospital in Dublin.<\/p>\n
Eight-year-old Tom\u00e1s was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia a year ago after his mam \u00dana N\u00ed Bhroin noticed some unusual bruising while he was swimming.\u00a0 It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Everything went as well as it could have, reflects \u00dana. The family spent two months instead of an expected three months in the UK during his recovery before being transferred back to Crumlin Children\u2019s Hospital in Dublin.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe 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 R\u00f3is\u00edn\u2019s graduation which was fantastic because she also received the Cooperative Education Award for her placement at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),\u201d said \u00dana.<\/p>\n
Caption: Happy family\u2026(from left) \u00dana, Meadbh, Teegan, R\u00f3is\u00edn, Tom\u00e1s and Padraig Fahy, at R\u00f3is\u00edn\u2019s graduation in UL.<\/p>\n