Little hero Lucy O’Connor is just 9 years old and is fighting a rare form of Lymphoma.
Her mother Angela has had to give up work to care for her cancer stricken daughter full time. Now battling cancer and not knowing if her daughter will survive her illness devoted mum Angela faces the financial burden and stress of medical costs associated with her little girls treatment.
Little Lucy was diagnosed 5 months ago with a Lymphoma usually seen in elderly patients, shortly afterwards her mother applied for a discretionary medical card. The family have stated they did not wish to go public about the matter but have been left with little choice as it now becoming more difficult to make ends meet.
Lucy has lost all of her hair as a result of her on-going treatments, a wig was purchased for her by her family. The cost of this was 850 euro. Had Lucy been a medical card holder this cost would have been covered for her family who are already under immense emotional, physical and financial stress.
Discretionary medical card rates are at their highest in 3 years in Ireland so the decision to refuse this young girls much needed medical card is being widely criticised.