Brave Kira thanks super nurse Cathy

A YOUNG Northside girl who is recovering from a successful operation to remove a tumour from her spine has paid tribute to medical staff and her favourite nurse at Beaumont Hospital who helped her on the road to recovery.

Brave Kira Clarke and her family, from Finglas, had their worlds turned upside down when they began to realise there was something seriously wrong with her health.

Kira’s mum, Natalia, was first to spot the symptoms when she noticed her daughter had begun dragging her foot as she walked.

Realising something was wrong, Natalia took the seven-year-old to a doctor and was told she would have to wait a year for a referral for treatment. The news was devastating but Natalia was determined to have Kira’s condition diagnosed.

“I remember thinking there was no way I was accepting this,

? Natalia said.

Natalia brought her daughter to another GP and she was referred to Cappagh Hospital in Finglas and then on to Temple Street and Crumlin Hospitals as medical staff tried to determine the exact cause of Kira’s condition.

The family were shocked when it was eventually confirmed that Kira had developed a polycystic astrocytoma, or a tumour on her spine, and referred her on to paediatric neurosurgeons, John Caird and Daragh Crimmins, at Beaumont Hospital.

At first it was though that the position of the tumour was too risky to operate on but as Kira’s condition began to change, it was decided that surgery was the best option.

However, it wasn’t without risks and Natalia was advised that the worst case outcome could be that Kira would be paralysed. Despite the danger, Natalia knew that saving Kira’s life meant having to take an acceptable risk.

The operation went ahead and was initially a success. But just five days later a lump developed at the site of Kira’s surgery and a lumbar drain had to be inserted in her spine to drain spinal fluid that had gathered there, causing the swelling.

And the family’s worries didn’t end there. Kira also developed a form of meningitis and ended up spending a total of seven weeks in St Raphael’s Ward before being eventually discharged from Beaumont on January 2 this year.

While in St Raphael’s Kira was looked after by nurse Cathy Coyne, who the little girl looked on as a real life superhero. Cathy was chosen by Kira as her hospital hero.

Thankfully, Kira is on the road to recovery and is now walking well and beginning to start running again.

Two weeks ago Kira was back at Beaumont, this time to pass on a message of appreciation to Cathy as part of the hospital’s

‘Honour Your Heroes’ programme.

The programme allows patients to say thanks for the care that they or a loved one received while in Beaumont. Patients’ messages are displayed around the hospital for staff, patients and the public to read and voluntary donations can be made to the Beaumont Hospital Foundation to fund patient care initiatives.

Other former patients who attended the programme event, which was hosted by Lorraine Keane, included Matthew Higgins, an articulated truck driver whose vehicle overturned on the Santry M50 flyover resulting in multiple injuries including a crushed disc in his spine.

Deborah McNamara ,consultant surgeon at Beaumont Hospital, explained the importance of the

‘Honour Your Heroes’ programme.

“As a staff member I know how much a message of thanks means and the encouragement it can provide,

? she said.

“We all like to get recognition for doing a good job and when people can go the extra mile and make a donation, the great thing is that their contribution will be used to help other patients through the work of Beaumont Hospital Foundation.

?