Local toddler to undergo major surgery in London next week

The family of a six months-old Donacarney girl who will undergo major surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London next Tuesday will be praying hard over the next week for her safe recovery. Little Grace Roberts, a daughter of Georgina and Al Roberts, has spent most of her young life in hospital as she suffers from hyperinsulinism, a condition where her body produces too much insulin. The toddler has spent most of her life in and out of Temple Street Children's Hospital, but has been at Great Ormond Street Hospital for the past five weeks and will undergo surgery next Tuesday. Her mother, Georgina, explained that her daughter's illness is usually managed by regular feeding and medication, but this didn't work in Grace's case, and she spent the first five-and-a-half months of her life in and out of Temple Street. Temple Street referred her to Great Ormond Street for a PET scan, a specific type of scan for her condition, which couldn't be done in Ireland. The surgeons in Great Ormond Street are now preparing to remove a focal lesion found in her pancreas. While it is hoped this will cure her condition, there are no guarantees. "All our family and friends have been praying for her and it will be an anxious time," her mother said this week. Georgina says that Grace has been undergoing great care on the Rain Forest Ward in Great Ormond Street. "She is doing very well at the moment and they have really helped with her feeding and her blood sugars are being kept stable," she explained. She says the care Grace received in Temple Street was also great, particularly on St Brigid's Ward, shere she was a regular patient. Temple Street is the cenre of hyperinsulinism in Ireland, but Great Ormond Street has world experts in the condition. Georgina has been staying in Great Ormond Street all the time Grace has been there, and Al has been visiting as often as he can. Georgina explained that the HSE agreed to fund Grace's treatment, when it was convinced by Temple Street that there was no other alternative. She said they are very grateful for this as they couldn't afford private treatment at the hospital. The family incurs substantial personal costs as a result of Grace's hospitalisation in London and Georgina says that family and friends have been very good in helping them out. She said that she wants people to be aware of hyperinsulinism as most people know very little about the condition. Grace recently enjoyed meeting the television character, Peppa Pig, at the hospital. Peppa visited the hospital to mark the partnership between E45 and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, which will raise £100,000 for the hospital over the next 18 months. They need to raise £50 million every year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, buy vital equipment and fund pioneering research.