Tipperary community rallies around family as brave seven year old Roisin's cancer returns

Generosity and community support is shining brightly in Tipperary town after the shock news that little Róisín Price’s cancer had returned after four years of treatment.

At just seven years of age Róisín is facing chemotherapy for the second time in her short life.

 As the news spread, people in Tipperary town and surrounding areas reacted immediately by supporting two fund-raising campaigns to help defray the costs for a devastated family.

Róisín was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (A.L.L.) in February 2015 when she was three and a half years old.

 She received a combination of different chemotherapy drugs given orally, intravenously, intramuscular and intrathecal, which is done using lumbar puncture.

 There were five phases of Róisín’s treatment: induction, consolidation, interim maintenance, delayed intensification and maintenance. 

Altogether the treatment programme took two and a half years with another two years maintenance.

Roisin with her mother Cora.

Róisín’s mother Cora is devastated by the news that her daughter has relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

  “Róisín completely finished treatment in July 2017 but she has now relapsed with the same cancer type that I understand it’s harder to treat. 

“The only treatment that had been decided so far is that she will start with chemotherapy again and we won’t know what is next for her until we see how she responds to this.”

Seven year-old Róisín is being treated in Crumlin’s Children’s Hospital. She has received a blood transfusion and has endured a lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspirate. 

 To administer the chemotherapy, a Hickman catheter (central line) has been installed, otherwise called, ‘Freddie’ for children.  On day three of chemotherapy her mother Cora posted on FB, “Third day in a row of Chemo and she is the one keeping me going.”

Róisín had been unwell since the start of July with constant headaches and zero energy. After frequent trips to Clonmel hospital her mother took Róisín to Crumlin on Tuesday, August 14, for a CT scan, lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspirate, all off which confirmed that she has relapsed.  

“The news was devastating and it absolutely floored me,” said Róisín's mother Cora.

 “Even though I knew something wasn’t right with Róisín and I went up to Crumlin knowing in my heart and soul what they were going to say, I was still hoping they would tell me that she was fine. 

“Just when life for Róisín and us as a family was getting back to normal and we were able to live a little, this diagnosis knocks us down again. 

“She had a great first year in Junior Infants and now when she should be settling into seniors in two weeks she won’t be able to for some time.”

Since the news broke over €3K has been raised by the sale of Róisín’s bracelets and €1134 from a gofundme campaign. 

Friend of the family Stacey Smith, who’s son Kyle is friend’s with Róisín, set up an online store to sell ‘Róisín Bracelets’ with 100% profit going to Róisín’s family. “I set up a store on-line selling bracelets to help Cora’s little girl who has relapsed Leukemia,” explained Stacey. “Cora is a single mother with another little girl Ava and I wanted to help. The on-line store went live at 11 pm on Thursday night (August 16) and to date we have managed to raise €3K.” To support the campaign and purchase a ‘Róisín Bracelet’ go to kyle-go-store.com

Cora’s aunt Barbara Price-Horgan has set up a GoFundMe campaign that has reached €1,134 in two days.  “Cora will have to stay in hospital with Róisín for weeks on end leaving Róisín’s sister, Ava, at home missing her mom and little sister. Not only will this battle be emotionally draining, it is also very expensive. To raise funds, my daughter Nikki, Cora's cousin, is cutting her hair and donating it to the Rapunzel Foundation; a charity that makes wigs for little girls just like Róisín. Nikki will be cutting her hair on September 11th at Hair FX, Bridge Street, Tipperary Town. Along with this she is raising funds to help Róisín and her mom. Any donations are much appreciated to Róisín and her family.” To donate go to www.gofundme.com/fight-with-Róisín.

Róisín’s story came to light in June 2015, when her mother Cora made a public appeal through the Nationalist and Tipp Mid West Radio for people to give blood.  

Róisín had received 12 transfusions between red blood cells and platelets in the previous 14-weeks. At the time, Cora posted on FB. “Today was really hard. This phase of treatment seems to have hit Róisín with a bang and we’re not even a week in and her appetite is gone. She has had lots of nausea and she’ll probably need a transfusion this week and lots of meltdowns on top of that. It's so heartbreaking that she can't tell me how or what she's feeling but tomorrow is another day and she is fast asleep… hopefully a good night’s rest will help — feeling broken.”

In 2015 the public responded to Cora’s appeal to give blood and they also donated money to the family to affray costs. In response to the public’s immediate action to donate funds Cora added, “What an amazing little community we live in. Not once but twice people have overwhelmingly supported Róisín. Thank you so much for all the support.”

To support the fundraising campaign and purchase a ‘Róisín Bracelet’ go to kyle-go-store.com or to donate go to www.gofundme.com/fight-with-Róisín.