Granny's plea to save her grandson's sight

A GRANDMOTHER from Inchigeelagh has set up a GoFundMe Page to save her seven-month-old grandson’s eye sight after the HSE said they were unable to assist him due to his age.

But Julie Beswick-Valentine said she can’t sit by and watch Jackson Valentine – who is her son Joe’s child and lives in Tralee with mum Jade Power – go blind because of an aggressive form of cataracts in his eyes. 

And she is asking the people of West Cork for their help.

‘Jackson was born premature on May 10th and since then he has been in hospital a lot of times and his immune system is curtailed. What we thought initially was a lazy eye has turned into cataracts and his eyes are both turning inwards dramatically,’ said Julie.

‘He had a referral in October with the HSE who agreed he needed an operation but they can’t do one until he is at least one-year-old.This will be too late as he could lose the sight in both eyes.’

Jackson’s parents had no option then but to go private and met with a consultant in the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork at the start of November who told them Jackson needed the operation immediately. 

His first operation is due to take place on the 28th of  December. Julie added: ‘We thought we would be able to manage with the money needed but we were sunk really. It was suggested to me about going through GoFundMe. I had to think about it for a while and once I made the decision my son Joe and Jade said go for it,’ added Julie who has a target of €10,000.

‘We will have a lot of hospitals bills to pay including the operation and aftercare,’ she said. 

See gofundme.com/jackson-needs-help-to-save-his-sight.

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