| A marathon effort to say thank-you
for hospital’s care  By
Niamh Hennessy
FOR many people their godfather means a present at Christmas and birthdays
but not everyone has a godfather like Luke McDonagh.
When Luke’s godson and nephew Jamie O’Connell was diagnosed
twice with cancer once at the tender age of 10 months and again at the
age of three he decided he wanted to do something for the hospital that
was so good to him.
Luke said: “Both times Jamie was treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital
in Sutton, Surrey. The level of care there was truly inspirational. Jamie
has had to undergo numerous operations, chemotherapy, high dose chemotherapy
and radiotherapy.
“He has fought infection after infection one which resulted in
him being kept in an isolation room at St. George’s Hospital Paediatric
Intensive Care Department in Tooting, South London.
“There were times when we genuinely didn’t know if he would
pull through or not but thanks to the expert nursing he has now recovered
and is back at home with his family, enjoying school and loving life.”
Jamie’s family who hail from Co. Kerry will shortly be celebrating
his sixth birthday and according to Luke this time they have a real reason
to celebrate.
Some years ago the family held a fundraising event in their local pub where
they raised £4,500 for the Childrens’ Department at the Royal
Marsden Hospital.
Since Jamie has been home the hospital has been instrumental in helping
both him and his family to get all the help they need says Luke.
He said: “They have provided a social worker to assist with housing
and financial issues.
“They also provided an outreach nurse to visit Jamie at home as
going to hospital had become a terrible and frightening experience and
they also provided play specialists in the hospital to help provide emotional
and development support to very young children such as Jamie.”
Next month Luke is going one step further in his fundraising efforts by
running the Flora London Marathon with a friend as a way to say thank-you
to the hospital for helping Jamie become the happy, confident and healthy
boy he is today.
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