Phoebe Loughrey (11) from Greysteel in Londonderry has been diagnosed with aplastic anaemia after initially being told she had leukaemia.
Phoebe’s mum Katherine explained they knew something was wrong when she started bruising more easily.
“When she started school her shirt was bruising her neck so we knew there was something seriously wrong”, she said.
Phoebe and mum Katherine
Phoebe’s bone marrow has almost completely failed, leaving her with dangerously low blood counts, and she now needs twice-weekly transfusions while waiting for a bone marrow transplant.
Her brother Reuben is being tested as a possible donor.
“It has been very hard, she is in a lot of pain, even when they’re doing ultrasounds and things,” Katherine said.
Throughout this distressing time, Phoebe has found comfort with her favourite cartoon, Minnie Mouse.
“She just loves Minnie Mouse. Minnie Mouse is really helping her through this.
“That Minnie teddy she has, she has had it since she was two or three-months-old, I’m surprised there’s still any stuffing left in it but it’s so special to her.”
Phoebe gets a hug from her mum Katherine
Katherine battled cancer herself two years ago and she promised Phoebe she would take her to Florida to meet Minnie Mouse.
“My sister, her aunt had taken her to EuroDisney before and she just loved it but with all of this I’ve told her I would take her to Florida to see the real Minnie Mouse,” she said.
Katherine set up a GoFundMe to raise the funds to take Phoebe to Florida.
“It wouldn’t be in my nature to do this but I was just up all night and I couldn’t sleep and I knew we couldn’t afford to go to Florida.
“We have been on one income since I had cancer, it just wouldn’t have been possible so I decided to start the fundraiser and since then we have been blown away with all the support,” Katherine said.
“People’s generosity has been phenomenal, it’s nothing we would’ve expected or believed.”
Phoebe with her Minnie Mouse
News Catch Up – Friday 26th September
So far the GoFundMe has raised more than £10,000 for Phoebe’s trip.
“Initially, I just thought ‘we’ll try and get the flights covered and then I can just put the hotel on the credit card so we set the goal at a few thousand but then we hit that and it just kept growing,” Katherine said.
The whole family have been ‘blown away’ with the support from their local community.
“Everyone has done so much, it’s unbelievable, people are hosting coffee mornings and different funds of their own.
“It’s a bit surprising because we are quite quiet people but I remember when I got cancer saying how great everyone was, how nice everyone was – all the local people.
“But this is just the next level, everyone is doing so much I think it’s because Phoebe is a quiet wee girl, such a lovely soul and it’s just awful to think about this happening to her,” Katherine said.
Phoebe in hospital
Phoebe is currently in a lot of pain and has been put on the waiting list for a bone marrow transplant but she is eager to maintain the relationships she has developed since starting secondary school.
“She was only there for two weeks so she was a bit scared that she was going to lose those relationships she built.
“Because she found a really nice bunch of wee girls but through her social media and everything she’s been able to stay in contact with them and she’s doing school virtually,” Katherine said.
The family aren’t sure when they will be able to make the trip to Florida to meet Minnie Mouse but the idea of going away is really helping Phoebe get through the long days in hospital.
Phoebe’s first day at school
“I think quite naïvely we thought we would be able to go away for the summer,” Katherine said.
“But we recently spoke with the doctor and we realised that wasn’t the case.
“Phoebe has a long road ahead of her, a long and difficult road so we don’t really know when we will be able to go but the thought of it really keeps her going,” Katherine said.
Phoebe regularly reads the positive comments left on the GoFundMe page and watches the donations rise.
“She knows the names of everyone that has donated; she just sits and reads it all.
“Minnie is what is getting her through all this but when it’s hard, we just sit and talk about going on holiday and getting to meet Minnie.
“It has helped her so much, not even a little bit, a lot, it has really given us all that sort of drive and thing to look forward to like a bit of a light at the end of this all,” Katherine said.