Brave Danny Molloy inspires fundraising run for Tipperary hospital

Above: At the presentation of a cheque for €2,380 to the paediatric ward of Tipperary University Hospital were, back, from left, Carol Molloy, Caroline Fleming, Gillian Gleeson, Hayley McCarthy, Laura Stapleton. Front, from left, Olivia Butler, Danny Molloy, Vineetha Anil 

Three Tipperary women who donned their running gear and pounded 10 kilometres through the streets of Dublin raised €2,380 for the paediatric ward at Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel.

Carol Molloy from Drangan, her mother Caroline Fleming and sister Katie Fleming joined thousands of other women taking part in the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon on June 2 as a gesture of support and solidarity with the Clonmel hospital, where Carol’s young son has spent an amount of time.

9-year-old Danny Molloy was born with a ultra rare genetic syndrome called Okur-Chung neurodevelopmental syndrome (OCNDS). He is one of only 150 people in the world with the condition.

When he was younger Danny underwent open heart surgery and also suffered from endocarditis, which is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves.

He is non-verbal and his brain stopped growing and developing when he was very young. He was also a regular patient for the first six years of his life in Crumlin at the country’s largest children’s hospital.

“Ward manager Olivia Butler, the staff and nurses in the paediatric ward at Tipperary University Hospital are brilliant,” says Carol.

She’s hoping that some of the funds raised will go towards the purchase of sensory toys and other equipment for the ward.
Carol and her husband Dermot Molloy are also parents to their 3-year-old daughter Willow.

This was Carol’s third time running in the Women’s Mini Marathon. Last year she completed the course to raise funds for the Little Blues Heroes Foundation, the charity that supports families of children with serious illnesses in Ireland, while empowering the lives of children through positive community engagement. The previous year she raised funds for Heart Children Ireland, the charity that supports people with congenital heart disease and their families.

Carol is Danny’s full-time carer.

“It’s full-on, 24/7,” she says.

Danny also suffers from an autoinflammatory disease, and every few weeks he experiences high temperatures and pains in his legs.

Despite her son’s difficulties, Carol says the family are “in a much better place” than they were a few years ago.

“We have good days with Danny when he is in good form. Those are the days I live for,” says Carol.

Danny doesn’t need to spend as much time in hospital as he did before, and his mother says he’s getting stronger.

Danny loves to listen to rock music, with Elvis Presley and Queen among his favourites.

He likes nothing better than to go to Golden Discs at The Showgrounds in Clonmel, pick out CDs, such as Iron Maiden, and listen to them in the car.

“He also loves having history stories read to him, including stories about the French Revolution.

“We use Lámh (the manual sign system used by children and adults with intellectual disability and communication needs) to communicate with him, as well as a communication device that is like an ipad. Danny clicks the buttons and it speaks for him”.

Carol is a member of Fethard Athletics Club and says her fellow members were a huge help to her in her fundraising runs, as were the people of Drangan and Fethard.

“People are brilliant to get behind us,” she says.