Zoe’s Oriel Park date ahead of US surgery
LITTLE Zoe Murphy will lead Dundalk out onto the pitch at Oriel Park on Friday night, just two days before she flies out to the United States for potentially life-changing surgery.
They parents of the football mad three year old, who was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy when she was 18 months old, hope that the ground breaking Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery which Zoe will undergo at the Saint Louis Children’s Hospital, Missouri, will help her walk better but more importantly end the pain which wakens her at night.
‘We have been waiting over a year since she was assessed for surgery,’ says mum Lynda Bannon.
After pioneering surgeon Dr T S Park said Zoe was a suitable candidate for surgery, Lynda and her partner Eamon Murphy began a campaign to raise funds so that they could bring their daughter to the United States for treatment.
‘We don’t know how we can every thank everyone who supported us,’ says Lynda, adding that her employers PayPal have been very generous in supporting the family as they get ready to spend six weeks in the United States.
The family have been busy preparing Zoe so that she gets the best possible outcome.
‘We have been doing intensive physio therapy with Zoe so that she’s as strong as possible before surgery’, explains Lynda.
The family are flying out to Saint Louis on Sunday. ‘Zoe will meet the doctor on Thursday October 30 for a final assessment and will have surgery on Friday November 1.’
She admits that she is ‘ terrified’ about the prospect of her little girl undergoing such complex surgery but says they have to look at the bigger picture.
‘Zoe wakes in pain every night so we have to hope that after the surgery she is much happier and content with life and at least we’ll know we have done everything we could.’
In the meantime, Zoe is very excited about leading her heroes onto the pitch at Oriel Park to receive the League trophy on Friday night.
‘She was star struck when Captain Brian Gartland visited Lis na nOg playschool to wish her well the other week,’ says Lynda.
Zoe’s older sisters Kayleigh, Brooke and Teagan are staying at home with their aunt.
‘We all went down to Cork with Funky Feet last weekend which was a nice break for the family to get away together as we didn’t want to take the girls out of school.’