The first day in school is a big moment in anyone’s lifetime, but for little Dan Donoher from Jamestown near Ballybrittas, who starts junior infants in Rath NS today, it’s particularly noteworthy.
As a young baby, Dan was diagnosed with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) and his parents Niall and Aisling were told that his life expectancy was 18-24 months.
A fundraiser, ‘Do it for Dan’, was launched in the spring of 2020 to raise €2 million for a special rare treatment. A massive local effort went almost global at the time as the target was hit – but Dan wasn’t able to avail of it.
Yet he has defied the odds and has always been in unknown territory as a child on his relatively new medication.
After two years in the Íosa Linn playschool, Dan moves to the adjacent Rath NS today, the same school his dad Niall attended in the 1990s.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d see the day when Dan would be starting school,” said his mother Aisling this week.
“Dan has autism and is non-verbal but he is the happiest, funniest little boy.
“We feel extremely lucky to know he’s going into great hands in Rath. The team in Íosa Linn did so much work with him and we know he’s passing over into the best of teachers in Rath.
“Tommy Fitzgerald, the principal, couldn’t be any more helpful in order to make the transition as easy as possible and from the end of the last school term Dan has been in the school a couple of times to get to know where he’s going to.
“All his friends from play school are moving across as well and they know his little ways and I know Dan gets so much enjoyment out of being with them.”
Dan’s teacher will be Laura Kavanagh while SNAs Madeline O’Halloran and Aisling Byrne will also be huge supports.
Aisling added that “milestones are never the same for someone with a disability”.
“When we were told he might only live to 18 or 24 months, we never thought we’d see this day. But this week I was ironing labels onto his uniform!”
And she says that he loves nothing more than going to local football matches, soaking up the atmosphere and revelling in the excitement.
Given that his mam and dad are both former Laois footballers, perhaps that shouldn’t be a surprise.
“Games in Croke Park can be a bit much for him but he really enjoys going to the club matches. We never thought either that we’d be able to enjoy things like that with Dan but we he absolutely loves them.”
Today is also a big day for Dan’s little sister Sophie who begins playschool.
“She’s so excited and I’m so proud of her too for the great little sister that she is.
“She has to learn different things and she’s great to tell people to ‘be careful’ and to ‘mind Dan’. She has learned all his cues and knows his various equipment.”
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