Fund appeal for local boy who suffered stroke

THE family of a seven-year-old boy from the Nenagh area who suffered a severe stroke has launched a fundraising campaign to pay for the high costs of treatment necessary to allow him make as good a recovery as he possible can.

Cian Conway, a pupil of Lissenhall National School, suffered a severe stroke when he was just six.

Against all odds, Cian has had a remarkable response to surgery, medical treatment, and initial rehabilitation therapies. His strong, fighting spirit has allowed him to win battles in the critical early days of his illness and he continues to do daily, leading many medics along the way to call him “a miracle”.

Cian is now at a stage where he needs extensive rehabilitation therapy to regain mobility, motor skills and speech.

This will enable him to experience life to the fullest as every child should; being able to play the games he loved and communicating with his family and friends.

Cian's parents and some other members of his wider family have set up a gofundme page for his ongoing treatment. A sum of just over €63,300 has been raised to date of the target of the €90,000 required for further rehabilitation treatment.

At his most recent discharge from the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH), in November 2020, it was advised that Cian needs weekly intensive physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech & language therapy to enable his recovery and optimise his potential for success. His Temple Street consultant also identified these therapies as critical needs for Cian to enable him to achieve the best possible outcomes. He will continue to need these services for many years to come with estimated costs in the region of up to €20,000 a year.

Cian is a mischievous, fun-loving, sensitive, strong, independent boy, the third in a family of four siblings, cherished by their parents, Mike and Olivia.

On the morning of May 6th, 2019 his parents struggled to wake him and rushed him to Limerick A&E, where they were told that Cian was after having a stroke. Cian was transferred to Crumlin Hospital, but due to multiple clots his condition deteriorated on route and when he reached Crumlin, he was rushed into emergency surgery and was only given a 20 per cent chance of survival.

Despite being on death's door following the operation, causing heartbreak for his parents and his siblings Siún (10), Michael (9), and Tadhg (9), Cian, he managed to pull through but has had to undergo other critical treatment in the meantime.

He was later transferred to Temple Street children's hospital where he was gradually weaned off medication and when he woke up from a coma he was unable to speak, move, or do anything for himself. He would have to re-learn everything.

With the amazing support of family, friends, employers, and Hugh’s House (accommodation for parents of long-term patients), his parents stayed by his side.

His parents advocated on his behalf, communicated for him, and performed all his care needs.

They turned him every three hours in bed, fed him by a tube, used a hoist to lift him, bathed him, and did anything else he needed.

They also learned and experienced how much a person can communicate with their eyes alone. Together, they all began the slow journey of rehabilitation.

After a month, Cian had further neurosurgery. He had a left-side brain injury which resulted in right-side body weakness. He was still unable to speak and was now a wheelchair user, with new daily struggles and challenges.

With the help of Bumbleance (Children’s Ambulance Service), Cian made his first weekend trip home to Tipperary at the end of July 2019. It was at home (the day Tipp won the All-Ireland) that Cian took his first steps, once again moving the goalposts and surprising medical staff, some admitting they never anticipated this happening.

Cian's treatment is ongoing and will need vital services for many years to come. There is no way of knowing to what level Cian will recover but his best potential for success is with regular rehabilitation therapies. As one consultant advised, the rehabilitation journey is a marathon and not a sprint.

Despite his illness, he continues to be as strong, resilient, and mischievous as ever.

He is a “character” with a great sense of humour and a very social child.

None of this journey has been easy and there is still a long road ahead for Cian and his family, with new challenges to face.