A couple with connections to West Cork are raising funds to cover the costs of a life-saving liver transplant for their son and to help other families in similar situations.
Jamie Goode and his wife Sheila Murphy's son, Teddy, was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome when they were 20 weeks pregnant.
He was delivered by the cardiac team at Dublin's Coombe Hospital and rushed to Crumlin within minutes, but more bad news was delivered a few days later.
“He was also diagnosed with biliary atresia and eventually required a liver transplant,” Jamie said.
“Liver transplants for children are not carried out in Ireland so I had no choice but to travel to Belgium for the transplant on February 16th,” Jamie said.
In February last year, he donated 20% of his liver to Teddy and fortunately the operation was successful. “I then developed a blood clot which caused a stroke and I lost movement on my right side for a while but I'm recovering. I had my six month check-up in August and so far everything is fine and great,” a relieved Jamie said.
Teddy, who will turn two in November, weighed just 7.2kg before the transplant but now weighs 10.2kg and is gaining weight.
But the family now faces huge medical bills, with further costs set to mount as Teddy requires further treatment, including heart surgery.
“We thought the HSE would cover the costs, but we have to cover 15-20 per cent of the unquantifiable costs. Just one operation cost €135,000,” says Jamie, who used to work in special steel structures. Jamie left work to recover from the operation and became Teddy's full-time carer, while Sheila took maternity leave from her job in the haematology lab at Bon Secours Hospital after their daughter Jamie was born.
The couple were married at Bantry House and had their reception at the Maritime Hotel.
“We have refrained from going down this path until now. We have been able to cover our costs with help from family and charities but at times the bills have ballooned into hundreds of thousands of euros. These bills are taking a toll on our family so we have had to swallow our pride and ask for help,” he said.
More than €61,000 has been raised so far, with any surplus going towards Teddy's future heart operations and associated charities.
Check out GoFundMe.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-bills-for-teddys-liver-transplant
