5-year-old Leitrim girl must travel to UK for cancer treatment

Rachel McGovern with AerLingus staff flying to Birmingham for cancer treatment

placeholder image — Rachel McGovern with AerLingus staff flying to Birmingham for cancer treatment

Family fundraising for Gary Glynn Foundation

A routine eye test at St Hugh's NS, Dowra was the catalyst that led to the discovery of Retinoblastoma Cancer in Rachel McGovern's eye less than a month ago. “On the 12th October our lives changed in a split second,” her mother Geraldine explains.

The rare form of childhood cancer was first picked up in Sligo Hospital, before being examined in Temple Street Children's Hospital. The family were told that the cancer is treatable, but Rachel would need to go to a specialist unit at Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital for her chemotherapy and treatment.

Rachel commenced her chemotherapy on October 31, this will be followed by more chemotherapy and laser treatments which will involve numerous trips to Birmingham.

Geraldine said they are so lucky to have The Gavin Glynn Foundation which has provided “invaluable support to us.” The foundation helps with organising flights and accommodation and help finance the medical trips.

Geraldine and Noel McGovern live in Dowra with their three children Roisin, Rachel and Kevin. Geraldine who is originally from Carrick-on-Shannon and her husband Noel from Blacklion say the Gavin Glynn Foundation have helped take the stress out of necessary trips for treatments and allow them to keep a normal family life at home.

Geraldine said their family and the amazing community around them wish to thank the Gavin Glynn Foundation for all their help and want to provide money to “help the next family” who will need to leave Ireland for medical treatment.

The McGovern family have set up an idonate page and have already raised over €9,000 with the hopes of raising much more with local groups such as MacNean Ice Breakers getting involved in the fundraising.

To donate visit: idonate.ie/fundraiser/GeraldineMcGovern