Éanna Starken is battling something no child should battle- cancer.
In June 2022 Éanna's parents, Simon and Emear, were given the unbearable news that their little boy had stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare but aggressive child cancer. They first discovered a large tumour on his kidney and liver and tests and scans showed that it was presenting in the bones as well as his bone marrow, along with smaller tumours in his lungs, chest and abdomen. Treatment was started immediately and the long journey ahead has begun.
The amazing team in Crumlin have set out a year and a half of treatment. It begun with 8 rounds of chemo and this will be followed by surgery, intense high- dose chemo, stem cell transplant, radiation and finally immunotherapy.
Éanna's mam has given up work for the time being as Éanna needs full time care as well as continuous time spent between Crumlin hospital and Galway hospital. Both Simon and Emear need to focus on getting Éanna better but a long and difficult road lies ahead.