All in for Éanna

Éanna Caffrey, at 17 months old, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) on May 18th 2020. Within hours of his diagnosis, Éanna embarked on what is to be a 3.5 year treatment plan in Crumlin Children’s Hospital. The first phase of intensive treatment has been particularly tough on Éanna; so much so, that he has spent only 4 nights in his own cot since being diagnosed. 

From his admission to hospital in early June, Éanna has bravely battled multiple infections. However, each battle has taken its toll on his little body, and consequently, Éanna will now need to learn how to sit, walk and talk again, while continuing with rigorous rounds of chemotherapy, blood transfusions, lumbar punctures and many other medical procedures. 

‘Beads of Courage’ is a programme in Crumlin Children’s Hospital, in which sick children are given beads to symbolically represent significant moments in their treatment. Even at this early stage, Éanna has been awarded 90% of these beads and his family are eagerly awaiting the ‘Discharge after Lengthy Hospital Stay’ bead. 

Yvonne (Éanna’s Mammy) is off work indefinitely- she spends her days in the hospital by Éanna’s side; while Stephen (Éanna’s Daddy) finishes work in the evening and goes straight to the hospital to spend time with him. When Stephen arrives at the hospital, Yvonne then drives home to Garlow Cross in Navan to spend a few hours with Éanna’s big brother, Donnacha, (who is still a baby himself at just 2.5 years of age). Once Donnacha is in bed, she again returns to Crumlin hospital for the night. Collectively, Yvonne & Stephen are travelling over 180km daily- this also includes paying 8 tolls. On top of all of this, due to Covid19 restrictions, Donnacha has not been able to see his little brother since he was first admitted in early June. 

Yvonne Caffrey (nee Brady) is originally from Aughavas in Co. Leitrim and a former member of St. Joseph’s Ladies LGFC. As Yvonne is one of our own, we (St. Joseph’s Ladies), along with the Brady and Caffrey families are looking for your support and generosity to help relieve the costs and expenses that coincide with such an unfortunate diagnosis. Apart from travel and time off work, the money raised will also help with many of the financial aspects incurred in Éanna’s treatment that are not covered, such as private medical therapies to get him back on his feet and get him talking again. Éanna has a long road ahead of him but the one constant that will stand him in good stead is his determination- even with the most difficult of starts, his family are beginning to see flashes of his cheeky smile and his personality shining through again. His determination, along with all of our support will get him through this.