Hopes for boy (3) in US operation
Dublin People 09 Apr 2012
THREE-year-old
Southside boy Jacob Foley Keenan has been accepted for a life changing operation in the US that
should enable him to walk.
Jacob, from Kilnamanagh in Tallaght,
was diagnosed with cerebral palsy two years ago. The condition has meant that
he has been unable to take more than a few steps unaided.
Jacob’s grandmother Marie Keenan explained that with
regular physiotherapy and the aid of a special walking device known as a Kaye
chair, Jacob has been able to move about independently.
Speech
“With the help of this special chair Jacob can go
around the house and crawl like a toddler,
? she said.
“He can take a few steps
on his own but he wouldn’t be able to walk outside.
“The cerebral palsy affects his speech but he is in
speech therapy and it is quite good. With Jacob it is more his lower
extremities from his torso down that the cerebral palsy has affected.
?
However, Marie and Jacob’s mother Lynn (29) were
thrilled recently when he was accepted by doctors at St Louis Children’s
Hospital in Missouri for an operation known as selective dorsal rhizotomy.
As the operation is not funded by the HSE, the family
has had to raise
?¬50,000 to pay for the procedure. They are also trying to
raise an additional
?¬20,000 to meet the costs of Jacob’s aftercare.
Marie told how stall holders on Meath Street
generously raised over
?¬500 for Jacob recently.
“Jacob attends Kilnamanagh kids’ crèche full time and
one of the girls who looks after him is Lindsay Daly,
? Marie explained.
“Lindsay’s family are stall holders in Meath Street, so she went home and told
them all about Jacob. They got together and decided that they wanted to do
something for him.
Intense
“They gave us
?¬550 over the weekend plus they are
doing a continuous raffle for Jacob. They have also said they will do other
things to raise money for Jacob.
“We have already raised the
?¬50,000 for the operation
but we need another
?¬20,000 for aftercare which will involve intense
physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.
?
Marie explained that the operation at the US hospital
has a 100 per cent success rate. She said the family has been heartened by the
progress of one of Jacob’s little friends who had the operation late last year
and took his first steps recently.
“Adam Curran (4) is another little boy who lives in
Bray and he and Jacob are friends,
? she added.
“Adam had his operation on
November 1.
“He had absolutely no movement whatsoever but he took
his first independent steps about six weeks ago. We speak to his mother on a
regular basis and she updates us on his progress, so we know what they are
capable of after the operation.
?
The family has also accepted that while the operation
would not cure Jacob completely it will allow him to lead an independent life.
Anyone who wants to help Jacob can make a donation to
Jacobs Journey AIB Tallaght, acc no: 56430036, sort code 93 33 17. The
fundraising team can be contacted by emailing jacobs.journey @live.ie
For more details about Jacob you can log on to
www.help-jacob.com
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