Family hit out over inadequate healthcare as recovering teenager shows ‘true grit’.
THE mother of Beara girl Féile O’Sullivan, who lost both legs after a farming accident, said that Ireland is falling short when it comes to advanced prosthetics.
Maureen O’Sullivan conveyed her concerns to the organising committee behind the StandforFéile GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than €610,000 towards her daughter’s medical expenses.
Féile underwent a major 12-hour surgery last week and Maureen said her 13-year-old will require another operation to complete what the family are referring to as ‘a milestone’ that will determine the pace of her recovery.
She said: ‘Too many families learn the hard way that while basic devices might be available, the supports and funding for prosthetics that truly match a child’s life, such as running, climbing, playing sports, exploring, are limited, slow to access, or simply out of reach.
‘The reality is that many of the devices currently offered, or funded here in Ireland, are ‘good enough’ on paper but not fit for purpose in a child’s real world. Children need prosthetics that can handle playgrounds, as well as classrooms, sports as well as sidewalks,’ she said.
‘They need tech that’s robust, adjustable as they grow, and designed for impact, not just appearance. Families shouldn’t have to settle for options that break, chafe, or can’t be used for the activities that give kids confidence and joy.’
Maureen said Féile has shown a level of grit that would make anyone proud. ‘She has pushed past every barrier put in her way to build a full, joyful life. And, as Féile says herself: ‘A hard life is better than no life.’
‘Féile isn’t asking for anything extravagant,’ she added. ‘She’s asking for prosthetics that keeps up with who she is: a kid with goals, energy, and dreams. A device that’s not just for walking in straight lines, but for living, really living.’
Maureen also addressed the issue of funding saying: ‘Too often, parents are forced into GoFundMe, corporate sponsorship pleas, or exhausting cycles of applications and appeals.’
She acknowledged the generosity of everyone in Allihies, the Beara Peninsula, West Cork, and the country nationwide, that her family has received but argued: ‘The message this sends is devastating.
‘It says that a child’s ability to run, dance, or play depends on luck and fundraising, not rights and equitable care. For Féile, and kids like her, that means the likelihood of having to travel abroad, away from their support networks, to access the expertise and technology that should be available at home.’
Maureen is of the opinion that Ireland, a nation that prides itself on community, fairness and looking after our own, can do better. ‘We must do better,’ she said, pointing out what needs to change.
She suggests that health care providers should ‘fund outcomes, not minimums. If a prosthetic doesn’t let a child participate in sport, play, and everyday life safely, then it isn’t adequate—no matter how it looks on a form,’ she said.
Maureen also called for investment in paediatric-ready options. And said the priority should be on durable, activity-capable devices, sports components, and growth-friendly systems, with scheduled upgrades factored in.
Again, she acknowledged that her family has been unbelievably well supported by a group of community organisations, as well as the sub-committee behind Féile’s fundraising campaign, but highlighted the need to ‘cut red tape.’
She is calling for assessments and approvals to be streamlined so that families aren’t stuck waiting through growth spurts and missed milestones.
Another area that could be improved, according to Maureen, is ‘building local expertise.’ She suggested: ‘Partnering with top international clinics and bringing that knowledge to Ireland so families don’t have to leave to get world-class care.’
As the mother of a teenage girl who has already undergone more than 40 surgeries since her accident on July 2nd, Maureen is calling on health care providers to ‘listen to the lived experience.
‘It is important to put families and young users at the centre of procurement and policy because they know exactly where the current system fails.
‘Féile has already proven she’s ready to meet life head-on. Her determination isn’t the problem. The system is. Let’s match her courage with action so that she, and every child in Ireland, can access the prosthetics that meet their bodies, their ambitions, and their right to a full life.’
Maureen thanked people for their support to date but issued the following plea: ‘If you believe this too, please share Féile story, contact your TDs, and support organisations pushing for modern, child-appropriate prosthetic care. Change doesn’t happen by accident, it happens when all of us decide that ‘good enough’ isn’t good enough for our children.’
