THE parent's of a baby girl born without arms or legs yesterday launched an appeal to raise £250,000 to enable her to lead a semi-independent life.
Joanne O'Riordan was born 10 months ago to Dan Joe and Ann O'Riordan from Keale, Derrinagree, near Millstreet, Co Cork. The couple has four other, children.
Joanne suffers from Total Amelia which means she has no aims and legs. She is the only Total Amelia sufferer in Ireland and one, of only a handful in the world.
"Joanne's condition means she will have to be fitted with prostheses every few months as she grows and that obviously is going to be quite expensive," Mr O'Riordan said.
Already the O'Riordans have had a little seat made at Roehampton Hospital in England which enables Joanne to support herself in an upright position. They have also had a special bodice made, complete with artificial arms, as well as a special cup which can be fitted on to her left shoulder where she has a small arm bud.
"The shoulder device means she can swing a prosthesis. It allows her, for example, to bat a ball to anyone who wants to play with her," her mother said.
Ms O'Riordan said they had visited an English victim of Total Amelia, 12-year-old Tina Stark, and her parents, Chris and Kay Stark, who had given them tremendous encouragement. "They gave us an entirely different outlook on life for Joanne," she said.
The money raised by the appeal will be used to modify the O'Riordan home for Joanne's use as well as to help towards the cost of a lay helper to help her attend Derrinagree national school.
The chairman of the fund, Dr Pat Casey, said the Department of Education had already agreed to carry out modification work on the school to facilitate her.
"Joanne is a perfectly healthy little girl apart from the fact that she has no limbs but she will need constant care and attention for the rest of her life," Dr Casey said.
A series of special bank accounts has been opened for donations to the Joanne O'Riordan Fund. Donations can be made to AIB Millstreet 93-61-54 A/C No 320361161 and Bank of Ireland Millstreet 90-58-03 A/C No 13014049.