Grateful Kilcrohane family’s fundraiser for Puffin Ward

AN eight-year-old girl from Kilcrohane suffered three frightening strokes on both sides of her brain earlier this year.

Thankfully Mia Tobin, a first class pupil in the local national school, has made a full recovery and her family have now donated over €13,000 to the Puffin Ward in CUH where she was cared for.

Her mum Edel described how Mia began to suffer bad headaches in September. She was also sleeping more than usual and on one occasion, and for a very short period of time, Edel recalled how her speech was a little slurred.

Unknowingly, Mia had experienced two strokes at home, while the third took place in CUH where her worried parents had taken her.

‘She was in hospital for 15 days and the care we got there was absolutely second to none,’ said Edel.

Edel and her husband John are also parents to a six and three-year-old and John’s parents stepped in, while they were at Mia’s bedside.

‘It was a very frightening time for us all, but the staff did everything they could for us and accommodated us so well, particularly as we were away from home,’ Edel added.

To give back, she launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe which generated €13,250, specifically for play therapist Rachel Griffin to purchase items for the ward, including TVs.

‘Mia is a tough, resilient child but Rachel was brilliant and really helped her in moments of need, and talked her though things like her MRIs and CT scans and this is just our way of giving something back,’ said Edel.

‘Mia suffered a very rare stroke and no reason has been found for what happened yet, but she’s started back at school and is doing well.

‘A stroke is probably the very last thing we ever thought she might have, but my advice to other parents is to at least be aware of it as a possibility,’ she said.