A bride-to-be whose wedding was postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak has launched a fundraiser for little Dan Donoher.
Kilkenny woman Tanya Keating was due to get married to her partner Brendan in April but the Covid-19 outbreak has scuppered their plans.
But Tanya is a very positive person and she decided to turn her disappointment into an opportunity to help someone else.
So, on Wednesday March 18, she is wants to say “I Do” for Dan by doing a 10km walk on her treadmill in her wedding dress.
Tanya said: “I’m asking everyone to donate to Dan’s Go Fund Me page which I will link to this message.
“While we are all stuck inside let’s give Dan the chance to get out and about when COVID19 disappears.”
A massive fundraiser was launched for baby Dan Donoher on March 5, son of Niall and Aisling Donoher from Ballybrittas, who has been diagnosed with a rare life-threatening disease.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the little boy with a genetic neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 and Scoliosis.
A breakthrough treatment is available in the USA and to meet the cost, a target of €2million has been set.
The reaction to the fundraiser has been huge with €335,000 raised so far from more than 10,100 different people.
People are not just raising money but awareness too as people are sharing the GoFundMe page on multiple social media platforms.
Dan’s parents Niall and Aisling (Nee Quigley) are very well known in the Laois GAA community.
Niall represented Laois footballers at all levels until his retirement at the end of the 2018 season while Aisling, originally from Timahoe, played for the Laois ladies team for a long number of years too. The couple live in Jamestown, on the old main Dublin Road near Ballybrittas.
Dan was diagnosed with this disease last December at the age of 8 months.
The life expectancy of an SMA type 1 child is 18-24 months.
A ground breaking treatment called Zolgensma is currently only available in USA and costs 2.1 million dollars for a once off infusion.
Studies show that Zolgensma can substantially improve quality of life and survival of this horrific disease.
This treatment is only available to children under the age of two and who meet the requirements.
Dan currently qualifies but “we are against the clock” his parents explain.
About one in every 11,000 children are diagnosed with SMA. It had been incurable, but with this wonder drug on the market it offers Dan a chance at improved or even a normal life.
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