‘It’s tough to look into the future, you just have to stay positive’
Family of brave six-year-old girl undergoing gruelling two-year treatment plan for leukamia staying positive and grateful for support of Walterstown community ahead of special charity solo run
The father of a brave little girl from Walterstown who is receiving treatment for a rare form of leukaemia has paid tribute the local community who has rallied around the family in their time of need. In March Chris Foy’s six-year-old daughter Siún was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a type of cancer that affects white blood cells. Although it is rare, it is the most common type of childhood cancer, accounting for 75% of leukemia cases in Ireland.
Little Siún is now undergoing a gruelling two-year treatment plan that includes chemotherapy, lumbar punctures and an array of daily administered medication.
Despite the unimaginable trauma of seeing his youngest daughter go through such a harrowing illness, Chris and his wife Orla remain positive saying that Siún’s prognosis is good having been diagnosed at an early stage and the family is taking ‘one day and a time’.
“Siún was admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital on New Year’s Day and she was diagnosed with a condition called Osteomyelitis which presented as severe bone pain in her upper left arm. “She would have been in hospital initially for two weeks with that, she was on antibiotics and that was clearing itself up and she was still being treated as an outpatient in Drogheda for a few weeks after that.
“Then she was readmitted in early February because her bloods weren’t correct so she was back in hospital for a week with the same condition again. “We just weren’t happy with her, she was very low in energy, she was pale, she didn’t have much of an appetite and we brought her back into Drogheda on the 11th March and she was diagnosed with leukaemia the next day.
“She was admitted to Crumlin that night for another ten days just to get her started on chemo and steroids to build her back up and it’s basically been weekly visits to both Crumlin and Drogheda since then.
“When she got the diagnosis it almost came as a bit of a relief rather bizarrely because you are sitting in a hospital room at 3am in the morning and googling stuff which people advise you not to do but it is a hard temptation to keep away from.
“It was an awful news to get but you had a plan at least, whereas before there was no plan and anyone will tell you the unknown with a child is the hardest thing to deal with.
Chris also dad to Keelin (13), Chloe (10), describes the demanding treatment plan mapped out for Siún.
“She has had several surgeries where they have to inject the chemotherapy into her spinal fluid via lumbar puncture so that’s ongoing.
“She gets blood tests at least once a week to confirm where her bloods are at and what stage in chemotherapy that she needs to go through, it’s an absolute rollercoaster.
“You take one day at a time. Crumlin has been fantastic from the very first meeting we had with the team up there.
“Her prognosis is relatively positive albeit the type of leukaemia she has which is rare but treatable and her chances are good.
“It’s tough to look into the future, you just have to stay positive, if not just for her, she has two sisters in the house they need our time and attention as well.”
It has been tough seeing his little girl suffer through the sickness according to the Walterstown man who said:
“She is nothing like herself in terms of her energy levels and activity, she has lost all of her hair, she is quite bloated with steroids.
“She is a trooper, she hates taking the medicine because it leaves her tummy quite sore but she is as well as we can hope for.
“It’s horrible as a parent to see your child go through something like this.
“The first couple of weeks in particular were exceptionally tough when she was admitted to the oncology ward in Crumlin on 14th March and there is nothing that can prepare any parent for that, it’s a day that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“The staff are phenomenal though, the care in st John’s Ward is brilliant.”
The dad of two has praised his “strong willed” little girl who “takes everything in her stride.”
“I’d always say she doesn’t walk anywhere, she runs everywhere.
“She came early and was born prematurely by about two or three weeks.
“I got a call at work that Orla was going into labour and met her at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital at 6.05pm and Siun was born at 6.20pm so she has always been in a rush.
“She is exceptionally determined, she has a great mind of her own, she is a very good natured and a very strong willed child.
“She is in junior infants in Lismullen NS and her teacher Ms Quirke has been brilliant, she she sends her videos and always checks in on her.”
Their local club Walterstown GFC are hosting a 'Solo for Siún' on July 25th to raise funds for Crumlin Children's Hospital. Starting at the clubhouse participants will complete a 20km solo to Pairc Tailteann and back again. Each soloist will complete a 500 metre stretch of the route and younger members will complete 20,000 solos between them.
“The community here has been phenomenal especially Ruth from Walterstown GFC who has been organising this fundraising campaign.
“We were nervous at first putting ourselves out there because we are quite private but we are so grateful to Crumlin and want to give something back to help families like ours.”