Blind schoolgirl Keri Kelly has taken her first steps in her bid to restore her sight after flying to China for revolutionary treatment.
The little Buncrana girl, 9, had her first stem cell treatment and doctors at the Beike Clinic in Qingdao say she is responding well.
Keri’s mum Tracey, who flew to China with her daughter for the month long series of treatments last week, said her daughter is being really brave.
“She has been great. She was a little afraid about the thought of needles but she said it didn’t hurt at all. I’m so proud of her,” said Tracey.
Tracey said Keri could get her sight back very soon or it may take a long time.
“We just don’t know when it will happen but hopefully it will eventually. All we can do is to hope and pray,” said Tracey from Buncrana.
Keri, who has been blind since birth, was born with optic nerve hypoplasia which means her optic nerves have never grown.
She has told loving mum Tracey that the first thing she wants to see if she gets her sight back is her face and a rainbow!
The Scoil Iosagain pupil will have her first lumbar puncture on Friday as part of a total of eight treatments.
Her trip to China and her chance to see again was made possibly only by the people of Buncrana and Co Donegal who raised more than €45,000 for Keri – €30,000 of which is being spent on the trip to China.
As well as her major treatments, Keri is also getting daily treatments including electrowave therapy, head massage, acupuncture and fire-cupping.
Tracey says she has met families from across the world including Germany, America and Argentina whose children are also hoping the stem-cell will give their children their sight back.
“People have been so good and every is really nice. We are all parents and we just want to do whatever we can to make our children’s lives better,” she said.
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