A six-year-old Dublin girl who was diagnosed with a rare and deadly brain tumour will head off to the US in a bid to save her life after her family raised over €80,000.
Aaliyah McCormick, from Kilmore in Dublin is a happy, kind and bubbly six-year-old girl whose "smile is infectious".
She is currently battling a rare high-grade brain tumour, known as Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), which fewer than 10% of children survive from.
Aaliyah was diagnosed with DIPG on July 17 this year, when her parents took her to Temple Street Children’s Hospital after she was suffering from a range of symptoms such as balance problems, nausea and vomiting.
Aaliyah's mother Lauren told Dublin Live: “Aaliyah has always been very active.
“She's never had any health issues but one week before she was diagnosed, I was going to work, and she was going to GAA and she got sick randomly and I just thought it was a tummy bug.”
Aaliyah began showing signs that were concerning such as being off balance and bloodshot eyes, with one of them blinking slowly.
Lauren decided to bring Aaliyah to the GP to get her checked after she had vomited repeatedly the following morning.
After explaining her symptoms, the doctor said that Aaliyah could have conjunctivitis and told her not to worry that she would be better in a few days.
Later in the day, things took a turn for the worst as Aaliyah’s condition deteriorated Lauren and her partner Karl, who is from Ballyfermot, to bring her straight to Temple Street.
After her daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour, Lauren and her partner Karl said they “couldn’t believe” the diagnosis.
Lauren and Karl were told the difficult news that the tumour was inoperable because of its location and that radiation and chemotherapy were the only options to keep the tumour at bay.
But, with it being an aggressive cancer, chances are it can grow back rapidly, and treatment may not work at all.
After researching extensively for options and speaking to other parent’s whose children received a similar diagnosis, Lauren found a trial available in America called ‘ONC201’.
The GoFundMe page was created to raise money for Aaliyah’s journey and medical expenses if she is accepted on to the trial and has raised an incredible €87,000.
Last month it received with a generous donation of €30,000 from Conor Mc Gregor, while Olympic hero Kellie Harrington has also donated.
Lauren said: "Everyone has been amazing, within an hour we had reached €10,000.
"We've had Conor McGregor and Kellie Harrington donate which was fantastic.
"To each and everyone of you, we are so unbelievably humbled, our hearts are so full right now seeing all the contributions towards our amazing little girl Aaliyah.
"We are hoping to go to America in the next few weeks for the trial."
If you would like to find out more about Aaliyah’s journey or to donate, click here
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