The Good and New Cancer Charity has donated €10,000 to the Caolan Melaugh Fund.
Eamonn McDevitt made the presentation to Caolan’s grandfather John Matthewson (pictured by Darren Crossan) and issued a fresh appeal for Donegal people to assist the Good and New’s endeavours in Donegal.
Crossroads toddler Caolan, who will be two next weekend, was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer when he was only ten weeks old.
During the summer, after over a year of intense chemotherapy, the Melaughs, Gerard and Stacey, learned that Caolan’s scans had returned clear, enabling him to enrol for a clinical trial, DFMO (Development of difluoromethylornithine), under the care of Dr Giselle Sholler at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Little Caolan has been back in Crumlin Children’s Hospital recently for more chemotherapy and the Good and New have managed to give some assistance.
“Most of the time, we are gathering money, but from time-to-time we are able to help people out like this,” Eamonn McDevitt told Donegal Daily.
“It’s nice to let people know that we can help others. It’s fantastic to be able to assist, especially in a case like this with a child.
“Caolan’s story really pulls on your heart. We all have kids or know people with kids – you can only imagine what that poor family is going through.
“I just wish to God that we could do more of this and help others. People will see this and wonder why we can’t help other people this way, but we just have to work with what we have.
“I have to emphasise that we work within our means. If we have a surplus and we feel that someone, like little Caolan, needs the helping hand, we will help if we can afford to at a particular time.”
The Good and New Cancer Bus transports Donegal’s cancer patients to Galway for lifesaving treatment. The service began seven years ago.
A new bus was officially launched earlier this year and it costs an estimated €1,000 per week to keep the bus active.
Mr McDevitt said: “We are on the lookout for donations all the time, 24-7.
“The big worry for us is keeping the bus on the road. That bus has to stay on the road, whatever the cost. The big problem we have is in the months of May, June and July. The fundraising dies a death in those months when the Relay For Life is on. The money is gathered up and gone in those months.
“We always maintain and stand by it that any money raised by or donated to the Good and New Cancer Charity will be spent on Donegal patients.”
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