Grief-stricken family hoping transplant will save their daughter's life

A family living in Mayo who have Eyrecourt roots, are suffering with one of the hardest blows for any family in recent months.

In mid June of this year, they lost their three year old daughter Saoirse to leukaemia as a result of rare a serious genetic condition.

Now their one year old daughter Éabha is fighting for her life and needs a lifesaving bone marrow transplant as she has the same genetic condition that her sister died from.

Little Éabha Duggan is presently in the Dutch city of Utrecht, at the Prinses Maxima Centrum, undergoing tests ahead of a bone marrow transplant.

Such specialised treatment cannot be carried out in Ireland so the family has to travel to the Netherlands to this world leading specialist children’s hospital, just weeks after they buried their eldest daughter.

Martina O’Brien from Eyrecourt, just over the bridge from Banagher, is married to Tommy Duggan and living in Claremorris.

Martina’s parents Pat and Rose are well known because they have many relations spread throughout the Midlands.

“We are devastated and distraught at what is happening to our grandchildren and our daughter and her husband,” Pat said.

“No parents should have to bury a child, it’s cruel and now to think the second child is fighting for her life, it’s unimaginable,” he said with tears in his eyes.

Three year old Saoirse underwent a bone marrow transplant in February 2024 and the initial prognosis was positive, but sadly the cancer returned just months before she passed away in June.

Pat explained that the family had little or no time to grieve the loss of their child with their attentions turning to their second child who is now fighting her own battle.

“Not to mention the massive costs involved,” said Pat. He went on to explain that the family could be a long time away if all goes well for Éabha because she will need considerable monitoring for a long time to come.

A few weeks ago, Martina’s sister Anne Marie Kenny, alongside her friend Louise Clarke, set up a Go-Fund-Me-Page to help the family meet with the massive costs involved. Their target initially was €40,000 and to date, over €128,000 has been raised in support of Éabha.

“This is every family’s worst nightmare but heartbreakingly for the Duggan family, this is their second time down this road. Martina and Tommy are heartbroken at the loss of Saoirse and now to have to deal with this is beyond belief,” Pat said.

“At least the Go Fund Me page will provide some financial relief to Tommy and Martina so that they can focus their full attention on Éabha’s care. The family are extremely grateful to everyone and overwhelmed by the incredible support they are receiving because while the medical costs for Éabha’s treatment are covered by the HSE, There are still considerable costs incurred by the family that must be met.”

Such a horrible nightmare for any family to go through, certainly touches the hearts of everyone. “People are extremely generous at times like this and we are very thankful,” said Pat.

The family are hoping that medical science can help little Éabha who is well and doesn’t have leukaemia at this time but it’s important and indeed it’s vital that she gets all the medical help and treatment she needs before it does occur as it could be too late then like her big sister who was diagnosed in late 2023 but lost her battle to this rare genetic condition.

If you would like to contribute to the fundraiser just go to the link below

https://www.gofundme.com/f/together-for-eabha-duggan-mayobonemarrowtransplant