Mullagh campaign aims to raise €30,000 for local child's UK surgery

A five year-old Mullagh girl will be confined to a wheelchair by the time she is 10 unless she receives vital surgery in the UK. Little Casey Fitzgerald is currently able to take a few painful steps, but doctors have warned that unless she has surgery, she will be wheelchair-bound within a further five years. Casey, who has cerebral palsy, is hoping she will be able to walk and dance after life-changing surgery in Bristol, but her family have to raise at least €30,000 to cover the cost of the operation. Her mother, Tracey, explained that Casey cannot have the surgery here in Ireland, but the HSE won't pay to have it carried out abroad. The surgery on her spine is similar to that which Navan girl Kayleigh Dunne underwent last year in the United States. The pioneering surgery is now available in Bristol, where surgeons have carried out the operation five times with great success and they are willing to operate on Casey next January. "Casey can walk a few steps, but she gets pain and she cannot run or jump of ride a bike," Tracey said. "She uses splints, a walker and a wheelchair. She attends Kells Parochial National School and has a full-time special needs assistant," her mum added. Casey loves scfhool and is a sociable little girl who flies after her friends in the playground on her walker. "The kids are fantastic and look after her well." The surgery and a month's stay in the UK will cost €30,000 and a major fundraising campaign has been launched to fund the operation. Casey will also need specialist physiotherapy after the surgery, which will take place in Frenchay Children's Hospital in Bristol. A sum of €13,000 has already been raised through a number of fundraising events locally, including a head shave and poker run. An 85 year-old woman did a sponsored walk for her and organsed a dinner dance. Tracey said the family has even had support from people in Australia and in the UK, where she has extended family. Her plight also captured the imagination of a dance studio in Swords who have offered Casey lifetime membership - something which has delighted the little girl as she really wants to be able to dance. As part of the fundraising campaign, there will be a 'slave auction' in Smith's Bar in Kells on 17th September. Nine people have already offered their services as 'slaves' and the organisers are hoping to rope in a few celebrities to take part. Meanwhile, the organisers of a fundraising soapbox challenge are looking for a sponsor for the event. Gigs Navan Event Management are hoping to organise the challenge, but need a company to sponsor the cost of the track, podium and the winner's cup and prize. Anyone wishing to sponsor the event can contact gigsnavan@gmail.com