Five-month-old Freddie can now start vital life-changing treatment
By Mary Dennehy
LITTLE Freddie Dunne from Jobstown has this week travelled to Manchester for life-changing treatment, after the community answered the family’s call for support and helped raise the €5,000 needed to start the five-month-old’s vital treatment programme.
Little Freddie, who lives in Sundale with his mam Claire, dad Stephen and three brothers, arrived prematurely at 24 weeks after a difficult pregnancy, which resulted in Freddie being born with a severe malformation of the skull called positional utero plagiocephaly.
Freddie’s mam Claire McLaughlin told The Echo that her boy’s condition will result in his skull not developing properly, as his skull is continuously shifting.
If left untreated, this can can lead to Freddie losing his hearing, his sight and suffering from further damage to his brain.
In order to prevent any further damage to Freddie’s development, Claire and Stephen researched treatment options for their son, none of which are offered in Ireland.
They also learned that any treatment received abroad is not covered by the Irish Government as it is “too rare”.
Claire said: “We were under pressure to get Freddie started in treatment as soon as possible, so after finding a clinic in Manchester that provides the treatment needed we turned to the community to help raise the €5,000 needed for the first stage of his treatment.
“We didn’t have much time, the earlier Freddie gets this treatment, the better the results.”
Only a few weeks after appealing for support through the Funds for Freddie campaign, €5,000 has been donated for the little boy’s treatment – which will cover the cost of a unique helmet being made for Freddie that he will wear 23 hours a day, for one year.
The money raised will also cover Freddie’s fortnightly visits back to the clinic in Manchester for scans and readjustments.
“We can’t thank people enough for their support”, Claire said.
“Our family and friends have been amazing and so have all of those people that supported us through our gofundme page and who came to the Funds for Freddie night last weekend in the Abberley.
“We couldn’t have done it without you.”
Last Thursday, March 30, Freddie and his parents flew to Manchester for his initial consultation and scans.
Thanking everybody who pulled together in a short space of time to make the trip happen, Claire extended the family’s appreciation to the Abberley Court Hotel for donating the venue, Cinellis for donating food, Woodies for the decorations, Laithaam Hudson for the music, Jobstown Boxing Club for taking on the Run-a-Muck challenge for Freddie and Meaghar’s Pharmacy, Vodafone and Sunway Travel for donating prizes.
Louise Dorney, Dina Allegrini and the family’s friends and family were also acknowledged.
To support Freddie or for updates on his progress visit the Funds for Freddie Facebook page.
