Fundraiser organised for the family of a young schoolgirl

A FUNDRAISER has been organised for next weekend for the family of a young Greenhills schoolgirl who died suddenly earlier this month.

Emma Howe, nine, who attended Holy Spirit Primary School, was diagnosed with leukaemia in November last year but appeared to be responding well to treatment.

However, the young girl died unexpectedly on August 2 in Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin, after she took a turn for the worse.

It came as a shock to Emma’s family, as she was in remission at that stage and seemed to have turned a corner with her condition after a difficult road when she was diagnosed in November.

Prior to her diagnosis, Emma developed a cough that lasted for four months, and repeated visits to her GP shed no more light on the condition, as her family was told that it was likely a viral cough.

“Then we noticed, the week before we brought her to Crumlin, that she had rapid weight loss and tiredness,” Emma’s mam, Sandra, told The Echo.

“On Saturday morning, November 5, we put her in the bath to freshen her up because she was feeling tired.

“I lay her down afterwards, and as I was drying her, I noticed her stomach was swollen, and realised there was something wrong, so we brought her to Crumlin.”

Emma was admitted to Crumlin and swiftly received a leukaemia diagnosis, and started a course of chemotherapy on the Monday following her diagnosis.

The young girl became seriously ill at this point and spent Christmas and the New Year on life-support in the ICU.

“She came through it and fought so hard,” explained Sandra. “Then she was moved out of the ICU in St John’s Ward, and then she started having seizures.”

Later in the year, during spring, Emma began to improve and was allowed home for hours at a time, and was able to go outside and to events.

She seemed to be getting stronger every day, before rapidly declining and dying on August 2.

“She died suddenly, and everyone’s baffled,” said Sandra.

Emma’s family are awaiting the results of a post-mortem to understand why she died, while they and the community grapple with their loss.

Her funeral was held in the Church of the Holy Spirit on August 8, with her beloved golden retriever Cody walking in front of the coffin and leading it into the church.

Emma’s funeral Mass was followed by burial in Newland’s Cross Cemetery. Her family, including her dad Gary and siblings Louise, Rebecca, Aaron, Rhys and Karl, frequently visit her final resting place.

“It’s been absolutely horrific,” said Sandra. “We just visit her grave all the time.

“Everyone’s starting back to school now, but she’s in her grave. We went to get her brother, Rhys, who’s a year older than her, his uniform – we’re only getting one uniform this year.

“She shouldn’t be dead. Everyone is absolutely devastated. We all miss her terribly.”

Michelle Smith, who runs Ceann Sásta Café at Greenhills Football Club, knew Emma as she frequented the café, and she decided to set up a GoFundMe to help the Howes.

She has also organised a Fun 5km Run, Walk, Dance or Skip in Emma’s honour and to raise money for the family on September 10 at 2pm at the Ceann Sásta Café.

Tickets for the 5km Fun Run are €25 for an adult and €15 for children, and include a free tee-shirt. Tickets can be purchased by calling Michelle on 085 767 5569.

Donations can be made on the family’s GoFundMe page, titled ‘In Loving Memory of Emma Howe – A Fundraiser’ at HERE.

For full access to all content on Echo.ie and to support the continuation of local news and local journalism in your community subscribe HERE.

Thanks for your ongoing support.