Time running out for Robyn

THE family of a little girl suffering from a rare form of cancer are pleading with locals to help them raise money for treatment before it’s too late.

Robyn Smyth, from Whitehall, suffers from neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that can spread to the nervous system, and her family are desperately trying to fundraise for treatment in the US that could save her life.

The eight-year-old was diagnosed with the condition shortly after her third birthday and while she was able to enjoy life to the full while entering remission in 2009, the cancer has now struck again.

The family have been fundraising for treatment, managing to collect e54,000 while Robyn was in remission, but it could cost up to e350,000 for specialist treatment in the US.

The fundraising efforts have been in overdrive since it was officially confirmed that the cancer had returned, with locals contributing a further e26,000 to the cause over the past fortnight alone.

“People have been really good,

? Robyn’s aunt, Cathy Dornan, told Northside People.

“I don’t know where we’d be without them. People who don’t even know Robyn have been collecting at Omni Park Shopping Centre and in Ballymun. They’ve held all kinds of events, like lemonade selling and one little girl called Zara even cut her pony tail off and raised e560.

“Local businesses are helping too, like Costa Coffee, Santry Printing and Buzz Print in Swords.

“But we need more donations and more volunteers to help collect. If anybody can’t donate money, they can donate their time.

?

The first indication that the cancer may have returned came a few months ago when Robyn started complaining of a pain in her tooth and her jaw became swollen. It was believed she was suffering from mumps but while the swelling reduced, Robyn was still in pain.

A number of tests were carried out and eventually a CT scan confirmed the family’s worst fears – a tumour in Robyn’s jaw.

The family were due to fly to the Costa del Sol for their summer holiday shortly after the diagnosis but as Robyn would have to wait for treatment they decided to go ahead to give the little girl a chance to have some family fun while she still could.

“She had a great time, if you saw her running around you wouldn’t know there was anything wrong with her apart from the swollen jaw,

? said Cathy.

“But she was getting tired and moody so her mum, Bernadette, was going to fly home early but the doctors told her there was no point.

?

On her return Robyn had further scans that revealed worrying spots on her lung and liver, raising the possibility that the cancer was spreading further. Last week she underwent a full body scan and was expected to begin chemotherapy this week.

Robyn’s condition is similar to that of Lily Mae Morrison, who managed to tug the nation’s heartstrings through the

‘Tiny Dancer’ song and raise over e250,000 for her treatment.

The families of the two little girls are now pals and Lily Mae even attended Robyn’s first Holy Communion just last month. Robyn’s family have been inspired by the success of Lily Mae’s campaign and are hoping to raise a similar amount if possible.

They are pleading with locals to back them in any way they can so Robyn gets the specialist treatment in the US.

“She needs to be treated now,

? said Cathy.

“She needs to be somewhere next week or the week after.

?

Robyn’s mother Berna­dette added:

“We wanted to get her over to

America to start treatment immediately but after we told the doctors over there that she had spots on her liver they advised us to start treatment here.

“Time is against us and we don’t have the funds yet to get her to America.

“The doctors here are great but in America they look at things in a different way. The treatment over there is much more targeted towards Robyn’s tumour, and not just the illness as a whole.

“There are more options there and they have the technology to test more specifically as well.

?

Robyn’s family are asking locals to do whatever they can to help before the condition worsens. Cathy Dornan can be contacted on 087-2055672.

Donations can be made at any AIB bank to account number 21417099, sort code 93-23-53. Robyn’s family can also be contacted online at facebook.com/robyn.smyth