Girl returns to London for life-saving spinal surgery

A CHILD at the centre of a national controversy during the summer over waiting lists at Crumlin hospital has returned to England where she will undergo life-saving surgery tomorrow.

Yesterday, Jamie Murphy (11), who suffers from severe and deteriorating scoliosis (curvature of the spine), flew out from Dublin airport accompanied by her family.

They said they had “fingers crossed” that there would be no last-minute set-backs after being disappointed in July when doctors at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital were forced to cancel the operation after concluding “the risks were too high”.

Jamie came home to Ireland and has been undergoing treatment “designed to strengthen her lungs” at her home in Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny.

The medical team in London contacted the family on Tuesday evening to confirm that they are now confident they will be able to carry out the operation on this occasion. The 11-year-old girl’s aunt, Triona O’Brien, said she hoped “people are still remembering Jamie in their prayers”.

She said her niece is, “an amazing girl who never complains” and was “in great form”. The child, who also suffers from Spina Bifida and is confined to a wheelchair, weighs just 35lbs and sleeps in a specially-adapted hospital bed.

She needs the surgery urgently to correct chronic and progressive curvature of the spine. The condition is crushing her vital organs and limiting her ability to digest food.

Her parents, Emer and Peter Murphy, sought treatment in London for their daughter earlier this year after claiming that cutbacks at Our Lady’s children’s hospital, Crumlin, had resulted in the cancellation of planned surgery.

Green Party deputy leader and Carlow-Kilkenny TD Mary White, raised the “shameful” case in the Dáil and was told by Minister of State for Health and Children John Moloney that “no child has been denied access to emergency life-saving surgery due to its [Crumlin’s] break-even programme”.

The local community had begun a fundraising drive to help the family pay for the treatment in London.

It is estimated the course of treatment will cost in excess of £50,000. When the cost of the procedure became known publicly, an anonymous benefactor contacted Ms White’s office and offered to pay the costs.

Ms White said that the mystery donor was “an ordinary” man who had had been very moved by media reports of Jamie’s condition.