26/09/2025
đDĂłchas do BhlĂĄthnaidđ
đ https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dochasdobhlathnaid
â¤ď¸ BlĂĄthnaid is a 4 year-old girl from West Belfast. She is our daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter, cousin, friend, classmate and team-mate. She is bubbly, loving, caring and most of all an unbelievably strong, independent girl.
BlĂĄthnaid is a proud member of the Irish language community and has recently started Rang 1 at Bunscoil an tSlĂŠibhe Dhuibh, a day she was excited about but one we didnât think would happen. Like every child, she deserves to reach each school year and to be back playing football with all her friends at Laochra Loch Lao, living life to the fullest like she always has.
Unfortunately, on 9th May 2025, BlĂĄthnaid was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour after a period of being unwell and several hospital visits. Our world was shattered. Within 72 hours she had emergency surgery to remove the tumour.
However, within just 3 weeks the tumour had regrown and we got results confirming the worst.
BlĂĄthnaid has a high-grade glioblastoma wildtype, the most difficult to treat and aggressive form of brain cancer.
Her surgeons quickly removed the new tumour along with some of her healthy brain tissue to allow space in case of rapid regrowth, which allowed BlĂĄthnaid to receive the standard radio and chemotherapy to treat this kind of tumour.
This surgery took place two days after BlĂĄthnaidâs parents got married, which was brought forward to ensure that beautiful BlĂĄthnaid could share this moment with us all.
By early July the rate of progression was so rapid that BlĂĄthnaidâs team thought it might not be best to begin the treatment as her form of cancer was so aggressive that the treatment may not work.
Before BlĂĄthnaid commenced her radiotherapy and chemotherapy, we were asked if we wanted to proceed with the treatment, due to how ill she had become. Against all odds she completed 6 weeks of intense radiotherapy, rushing us out the door every morning to get it over with so she could enjoy the remainder of her day. She continues to fight each day.
We are incredibly grateful to her team and our wonderful NHS for getting her this far.
However, there are a number of additional treatments and breakthroughs not currently available on the NHS that could improve BlĂĄthnaidâs outcomes.
With the support of her team in the Childrenâs Hospital, we have decided to seek additional expert intervention in Berlin.
Whilst we have been able to meet the initial costs, this isnât something we can sustain alone.
Our amazing community has rallied around us with offers of support for BlĂĄthnaid.
From the beginning we have told you all once we see a viable option we will let you know how you can help. We have now been informed that the cost of the immunotherapy treatment in Germany will be ÂŁ140,000.
We need your support to make this happen, to give our beautiful girl the best possible chance to help fight this life limiting disease.
Please help BlĂĄthnaid with her battle by donating, organising an event or sharing this JustGiving page. All donations and support are greatly appreciated.
Germany could be our last chance.
There are success stories in the fight against Glioblastoma and we wonât give up hope. We have seen miracles save extremely sick children. We hope that BlĂĄthnaid can be one of them.
BlĂĄthnaid represents the best of us and her personality is best summed up by asking her favourite colour - âall the colours in the rainbowâ.
Tacaigh linn. Tacaigh le BlĂĄthnaid. DĂłchas do BhlĂĄthnaid. đ
