Merryn in good spirits after surgery
KIDNEY OPERATION A SUCCESS
THERE IS ‘no stopping’ five- year- old cancer patient Merryn Lacy, who is up and about after undergoing surgery to remove her kidney just last Friday.
‘She is unhooked and just wants to get out and about,’ said her parents yesterday (Tuesday). ‘It’s going to be difficult keeping up with her, but it’ll be fun!’
She had her operation last week in Crumlin to take away a primary tumor, after she was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma last year.
Just 24 hours after surgery, she was sitting up. She was tired and sore but able to stand and determined to get off the bed and do it herself. ‘Another day that has left us in awe of our little girl,’ said her parents Mick and Jenny.
Merryn was in theatre for just over three hours and the operation did very well.
‘We know we’ve still a long way to go to beat this, but it’s a small victory today. Merryn continues to amaze us with her strength and courage.’
The little girl’s family said that bringing their daughter in to hospital for her operation was ‘facing up to the monster,’ and describe their fear prior to the surgery.
It was a ‘step into the unknown’ for them they said, adding that they placed their faith in the hands of the highly skilled surgeon.
Merryn’s father Mick is from Mountainview Drive in Bray and the people of the town have been fundraising furiously to support the family.
They need to raise hundreds of thousands to bring the little girl to America for pioneering treatment to prevent relapse which is common with her type of cancer.
Katie Taylor has gotten behind the campaign, as well as Ireland’s football and rugby stars, and even pop princess Kylie Minogue.
‘Neuroblastoma is such a rare cancer and unfortunately the only place that seems to be doing research on it is in America, where there are trials of a drug called DFMO, which is a blocker treatment,’ said Jenny.
‘It is only a trial but to date, no child that has been on that trial has relapsed which is why we are so desperate to raise the funds.’
Any money raised which the Lacy family does not use will be donated to cancer research.