THE CO Kilkenny girl who has allegedly been unable to access life-saving surgery in Ireland is travelling to London today for a private consultation with a specialist.
Jamie Murphy (11), who uses a wheelchair and suffers from spina bifida and severe scoliosis, was scheduled to depart on a gruelling 19-hour journey at dawn today and will not return home until the early hours of tomorrow.
Her mother Emer, said Jamie, who weighs 35lbs, could not stay away overnight as “she has to sleep in a specially adapted ‘hospital’ bed”.
At their home in Graiguenamanagh yesterday, she and her husband Peter were preparing for the trip by loading an iPod with her favourite music: Westlife, Hannah Montana, Elvis Presley and Kenny Rogers’s song, The Gambler. Jamie’s grandmother, Mary O’Brien, who will look after siblings Emily (8); Kian (6); and Rory (11 months) described the little girl as “truly amazing”.
Ms Murphy said her daughter’s life is in danger unless she receives urgent surgery to correct severe and progressive curving of the spine which is crushing her lungs, heart and kidneys, as well as causing pressure sores on her body and limiting her ability to digest food. Ms Murphy said her “whole life was turned upside down” after her daughter’s treatment was allegedly cancelled because of cutbacks at Crumlin children’s hospital.
She had contacted Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London but because Jamie was not being referred by the HSE she could not be seen by the British National Health Service. The hospital, however, provided the name of a private consultant.
Friends and the local community have started fundraising to assist the family with today’s trip – which will cost about €1,000 – and the potential cost of private treatment in England, estimated at £50,000. A bank account in the name of Jamie Murphy has been established at Bank of Ireland (sort code 90-66-11; account number: 264-01-283).