The Liberal’s office receives many stories every day from around the country, sometimes even further a field. I’m an experienced journalist, I know I must remain impartial, but I feel it must be said from the outset – this particular story made me, as a woman, feel physically sick in my stomach.
In what can only be described as a disgusting incident, an innocent 9-yr-old boy who has Type 1 diabetes went to the “Arc Cinema Drogheda” in Drogheda’s Town Centre in Louth on Friday afternoon.
The boy cannot take the usual sweets and treats that kids his age take – instead, his mother Cora Keelan lets him enjoy going to the cinema with his friends – that’s his treat instead.
The little chap knows fine well that he cannot take anything that could affect his blood sugar – he also knows that he MUST carry a water bottle with him at all times, this keeps him hydrated and thus his blood sugar levels are unaffected.
What transpired in the “Arc Cinema Drogheda” wasn’t only unjustified – but quite simply put, was a disgraceful act to an innocent little child with diabetes.
The ‘person’ working in the cinema Friday afternoon allegedly demanded the boy hand over the water “because he didn’t buy it there”.
The boy was with a friend and his friend’s mother. She tried in vain to explain the situation – alas, it was no good.
The little boy, who was there with friends and not his parents, had to hand over the water – and as a result, got extremely upset and had “high blood sugar levels” because of the incident and lack of hydration.
The “Arc Cinema Drogheda” Facebook page has received a raft of complaints over the incident, some people are even calling for a complete boycott of the “Arc cinema Drogheda” and for people to go to Dundalk or Swords instead.
The little boy’s mother left this message on the “Arc Cinema Drogheda” Facebook page: