Fundraiser launched to help twin sisters in Tipperary facing health battle
Locals are invited to attend the community walk on July 25
A family from Clogheen has launched a GoFundMe campaign and community fundraising day to support 17-year-old twins Sasha and Layla as they continue their battle with a complex and debilitating medical condition.
The fundraising campaign was organised by the twins' aunt, Stasia, after months of hospital admissions, specialist appointments and mounting medical costs left the family under immense emotional and financial pressure.
Sasha was first diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome when she started developing Symptoms and she collapsed at school in December 2024. Her twin sister Layla was then rushed to hospital in April 2025 and ended up spending 10 Days in the high dependency unit in CUH where she suffered endless seizures.
Layla had to learn how to use her legs again and she also lost her eyesight for a while which was very distressing for the young teen.
Doctors are still none the wiser on how to best help both girls, says the girls aunt. A community Walk for the Girls has been organised to take place on Saturday, July 25 in Clogheen Community Hall at 12pm.
Speaking about the decision to organise the event, Stasia said it was originally intended simply as a day to lift the girls' spirits. "We weren't doing it as a fundraiser at first," she explained.
"It was really just going to be an awareness day and something for the girls to look forward to." That changed after a frightening medical emergency involving Sasha earlier this month.
"My sister had taken the girls out for just an hour to a local dog show. Sasha is using a wheelchair at the moment, not because she can't physically walk, but because it's the safest option as she has sudden drop attacks.
“They had just stood up to go back to the wheelchair when Sasha collapsed and suffered seizures for about two and a half hours. It became so serious that the air ambulance had to be called." The incident prompted members of the local Araglen community, who had witnessed the emergency, to contact the family and offer their support.
"It really touched us that people who didn't even know the girls went looking for information about them afterwards. It made me realise just how many people they've affected." Stasia said the family's experience has shown them the extraordinary kindness of strangers.
"We've had so many incidents where the girls have collapsed in public. People have stopped what they were doing, brought blankets and water, helped direct ambulances and stayed with us for hours.
“Those acts of kindness mean more than people realise." The fundraiser has since grown into a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the ongoing costs associated with the twins' care as both await urgent heart surgery.
"We're nearly 18 months into this journey and we're still fighting for medical cards," Stasia said. "The costs of medication, ambulance call-outs and hospital visits have become overwhelming.
“We just want to take some of that pressure off the family." Both girls will need urgent heart surgery and Sasha will hopefully receive this surgery in August. Funds raised will also go towards paying for this surgery.
"We also want to thank everyone who has helped us in any way, friends family strangers who don’t even know the girls but sat on the roads, footpaths for hours helping we appreciated everyone of you,” concluded Stasia.
If you wish to donate to the GoFundMe please visit: https://gofund.me/3a01ac1f4