The great, the good and the humble will help little Anna’s dream come true

THERE was very good news for a small girl from Cork when I came home from Bordeaux. And it came from the woman I never met. I don’t even know her name and she gave us a lot of money for the small girl from Cork. This piece may not be for you if you are of a cynical disposition but there are so many good people we never hear about or from. The good are great and the good are many.

The little girl’s name is Anna Browne and she needs an operation to help her walk. We wrote about seven-year-old Anna over in the Monday Sport section a few weeks ago.

She has cerebral palsy and cries with pain every night. The operation is only available in the United States and the cost along with aftercare and expenses comes to about €100,000.

The HSE has offered Anna (inset) an operation in England, but not until she is 13 or 14.

Dr TS Park, an American surgeon, has operated on 48 Irish children already. Their families have had to fund the cost and now children who could not walk have greatly increased mobility.

I met Anna and her family during the Easter holidays and they were so full of love. Anna’s smile won me over. Her big brothers are stone-mad about her. Her big sister does all the exercises with her in the middle of the night when the pain is at its worst.

I’m a dad and I wouldn’t like any child to go through Anna’s pain. We have arranged for her case to be brought before Health Minister Simon Harris and we will let you know what happens in due course.

Small girls and boys shouldn’t have to wait so long for an operation. Anna’s mother Evelyn is driving and fighting for her girl. Her dad works by day and lets Evelyn do the Anna admin when he comes home. Mothers are the most amazing creatures when it comes to minding their children.

Jonathan Sexton (below) and his wife Laura have two kids with another on the way. I asked him for the boots he wore when he scored that famous drop goal against France.

Now the boots he has worn all through the Grand Slam year will be auctioned for Anna by auctioneer Philip Sheppard later in the summer. Philip will not be charging a fee.

“Hopefully Leinster can win the Champions Cup and the boots will go up in value,” Jonathan said because he will wear them in the final on May 11 in Bilbao.

The weather was beautiful in Bordeaux. There were glasses of wine beneath towering spires in the moonlit half-light of old squares.

I loved the civilisation of the place. The Munster fans were full of their fun and backed the team come what may.

Home I went. I find it hard sometimes to come into the pub when the lights are down and the only sound is my footsteps on the timber floor.

We still do half days in Listowel and the bar was closed last Monday afternoon. I was lonely for my mam and dad. We lived upstairs in the tiny living quarters over the pub and my parents have passed on. I miss them not being there when I come home from being away. My family were away or working. I had no one to tell my story to.

There among the bills and circulars were three letters. One was from a pensioner and inside was a postal order for €50.

There was no name at the bottom of the page. And I got to wondering that the donor might not even have had a bank account.

I got to thinking the donor might be a pensioner who has giving up a big chunk of his or her pension.

The next letter was from a bachelor from the West. He wrote that he didn’t know how to access Anna’s GoFundMe page which is at https://www.gofundme.com/annasdream-todance.

Inside was a cheque for €3,000. There are so many good people with so much heart and so much love.

It was late last week and I was pulling pints. The landline rang in the pub. The lady was from Dublin and she told me she was interested in Jonathan’s boots. “I want to bid 10 grand,” she said.

I was wondering if this was the second bottle of wine making the bid. We will call the lady Betty Boots. She is real, a mother, a GAA mother at that.

Anna’s family set up a special account for the boot money. Garda Ken O’Connell and solicitor Michael Powell will sign off on the distribution of the boot money along with Evelyn. Mr Powell is not charging for his services. Ken has been a tower of strength.

The third letter contained a bank draft for the promised 10 grand. It seems the GAA mother came into money and wanted to give some to charity.

The 10 grand was a bid on the boots but it was a bid with Ts and Cs. The donor wished to remain anonymous.

BETTY Boots made it clear that if she was not the highest bidder then the 10 grand was to go to Anna’s fund anyway. Betty is a big Dubs fan and she really hopes there will be bigger bids so “the little girl can get her operation”. There were more donations too, from so many caring people.

The second class of St Mary’s Primary school in Mallow gave €245 from their Communion money. Cork has come in behind Anna. International athlete Marian Heffernan is giving Anna physio and there is no bill. Her husband and world walking champion Rob is dancing for Anna at the Cork Opera House on May 20.

There is great chance now, Anna girl. You are more than half-way there. Hopefully, you will be dancing like your pals.

Soon you might be able to kick the ball without falling. Dr Park has promised the pain will go away.

Keep smiling. Keep dreaming of the dance. Sometimes, Anna, a small girl’s big dreams really do come true.