Saoirse Gaffney

Super Saoirse doing Perry well indeed

Fifteen months after completing her last round of chemotherapy, seven-year-old Saoirse Gaffney's latest scans have come back all clear and the New Zealand youngster is doing great.

Saoirse also recently got some very exciting news that she will get to meet international superstar Katy Perry in August thanks to the Make a Wish Foundation.
Saoirse is a daughter of David Gaffney from Carlanstown who is now settled in Wellington, New Zealand, with his French born wife Sylvaine. 
Two years ago, then just five-years-old, Saoirse was diagnosed with stage 5 bilateral Wilms tumours and communities in New Zealand and Ireland came together to fundraise for the 'Support for Saoirse' campaign, with huge support from David's native Carlanstown. Saoirse had surgery in the US, as well as chemotherapy and radiation treatment in New Zealand.
David has thanked everyone who supported them during a very tough time and said the support meant they were able to travel to the best hospital.
“The support of the community enabled us to travel to the best hospital, with the surgeons that pioneered the particular surgery - nephron sparing - that Saoirse needed. That was the difference between Saoirse potentially having only 40 per cent of one Kidney left and potentially being on Dialysis, and her almost perfect kidney function today. Not forgetting the successful removal of the multiple tumors and having no recurrence in the 15 months post completion of her chemo. The love and support she and our family have received have so far overcome the severity of her condition and the toxicity of the regime she has gone through.”
David said Saoirse has been in great form and is doing really well in school, recently being presented with the school Principal's Award.

She loves horses and goes to a pony club once or twice a month, which David said seems to be very therapeutic for her.
The treatment was tough and David said an experience like this changes a person and that readjusting to the “new normality” had been difficult for Saoirse but she has kept her bubby, empathetic nature.
Saoirse recently got the very exciting news that she will have the chance to meet Katy Perry when she tours in New Zealand in August. “Saoirse will meet Katy in August and she is super excited, so much so she is researching all about her so she can ask her lots of questions and she is also trying to memorise all her songs and started in the local choir to practice her singing.”