A TEENAGE GIRL will become the first Irish person to receive a groundbreaking cancer treatment in the US thanks to donations from the Irish public.
13-year-old Robyn Smith from Whitehall, Co Dublin will travel to the US today with her mother Bernadette to receive treatment for her aggressive nueroblastoma, which she was diagnosed with at the age of three.
Robyn will receive the trailblazing treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York.
Her mother was able to book the treatment after €326,000 was raised in a public appeal for help.
Speaking to Independent.ie, Bernadette said: “We reached the magic mark of having enough money to pay for the ground breaking trial treatment over the weekend and all of the family can’t put into words how grateful and relieved we are.
“My head was spinning at the thought of getting Robyn this far and not being able to get her on the trial that could potentially put an end to this monster. We don’t know what the future holds but because of you we have hope.”
She added: “We are all so relieved but worried too. After we make the upfront payment to the hospital then there will be no money left.
“So I’m pleading with people to keep donating as there will be non-stop flight and living costs while in the US. Obviously. We will be using up as much as our personal finances as well.”
The brave Robyn was given just a 30% chance of surviving when she was first diagnosed with the condition at Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin.
Three years ago, her chances of survival dropped dramatically to five per cent and her family were instructed to bring her home to die.
Today, thanks to the generosity of the public, Robyn and Bernadette are making the journey to receive a treatment that could significantly improve her life.
You can make donations at the following sites: [email protected], idonate.ie/robynslife and gofundme.com/robynslife.
