Athlone daughter's plea for operation to save her mother's life

An Athlone teenager has organised a fundraising campaign as a last resort to try to raise €20,000 for what she believes could be life-saving surgery for her Mum.

Caoimhe Delaney (17), from Assumption Road, started a 'Go Fund Me' campaign earlier this year on behalf of her mother, Debbie Delaney (43), who is in severe pain and discomfort with a rare disease called Lymphadema.

The condition causes the body to retain fluid that is usually drained through the lymphatic system, and in Debbie's case it's meant she is retaining a large amount of fluid in her legs and the lower half of her body.

"She has accumulated a minimum of 15 stone in her legs alone with fluid," said Caoimhe, who pointed out that her Mum has had Lymphadema all her life but was only diagnosed with it after her condition got much worse six years ago.

"She was left far too long for normal treatment, such as lymphatic massage, compression wraps and lymphatic drainage, to work. Her only hope is gastric bypass surgery

"She cannot get it off the HSE as it is a five-year waiting list and unfortunately my Mam does not have five years left in her anymore.

"By that point she would be immobilised and in even more excruciating pain than she already is, having no quality of life."

The 'Go Fund Me' campaign, entitled 'Debbie's last chance at life saving surgery' was set up in February, and has so far raised just over €7,000.

Caoimhe said that she and her family, including her Mum, her father Barry, and younger brother Robert, greatly appreciated the fundraising support so far but wanted to generate more awareness of the campaign in a bid to help move closer to the €20,000 target.

Debbie (nee McLoughlin) is unable to travel on a plane, as the air compression on board could be dangerous given her condition, so the family are hoping to have the operation done privately in Dublin.

Lymphadema is more commonly seen in cancer patients, but in Debbie's case it was genetic. Six years ago she became seriously unwell for a period of 16 weeks, and was in and out of hospital on several occasions.

She was eventually referred to Professor Coughlan in St James' Hospital in Dublin, who diagnosed her with Lymphadema.

"Because she was left so long without any help or treatment, this disease has now crushed her two knee caps, is pulling down her back and spine with the amount of fluid weight that's being stored, and is affecting her kidneys.

"It's destroying her overall health and causing her extreme pain every day," her daughter said.

"This (gastric bypass) surgery is not for cosmetic reasons or a quick way to lose weight, as some may think when they hear the name. It's to save my Mam's life and give her another shot at a happier one.

"If she has this surgery, it will help to aid her in losing excess metabolic fats and fluids, which is what’s being stored in her legs given she has no living lymph nodes anymore.

"Then, once healed, it'll give her a chance to have a better idea of the Lymphedema within her legs and releasing some pressure off of the joints and bones - giving her more avenues to be able to manage it going forward."

Caoimhe said the fundraising campaign would have been set up sooner only for the fact that her Mum didn't give the go-ahead for it until recently.

"She believed that she would get treatment from the HSE in time, or would have more time left in her to save the amount of money she needs to go private. As her family, we had to respect her wishes and simply do what we can to help her.

"However, within the last year, she's acknowledged that neither of those things are going to happen and gave me the go-ahead to set up a fundraiser if I'd like.

"I've done as much as I physically can since setting it up in February of this year, but I've hit a road block and now need public help.

"My biggest fear is losing my Mam to this disease. No one ever wants to lose their Mam, but especially so young to something that could’ve been prevented had she been listened to earlier.

"This is our last resort as a family to save our Mam, wife, sister, daughter and more. She means so much to everyone and we don't want to lose her to this horrible disease."

For more information, see the 'Debbie's GoFundMe' Facebook page, or you can donate to the Go Fund Me page here.