OVER €111,000 has been raised online to get a Cork teenager the life-saving treatment he needs in the US.
17-year-old Aaron McMahon was diagnosed with a chordoma brain tumour in February 2017 and has been told by doctors that his condition is terminal.
His only chance of survival lies within a hospital in Pittsburgh where a surgeon can perform the needed surgery in June.
The surgeon was located by the Chordoma Foundation in the US, who told Aaron’s parents that in order to book in for the surgery, a deposit of over €100,000 needs to be paid to the hospital by 30 April.
Since the family simply couldn’t afford the fee, they decided to launch a GoFundMe page online in an attempt to raise the necessary funds for the deposit.
Speaking to local radio programme The Neil Prendeville Show on Cork’s Red FM last week, Aaron expressed the frustration at not being able to afford the surgery that would save his life.
“I was fed up doing nothing, watching everything go by, knowing time was essential for me. I was stressed and I was just sick of everyone asking me how I was putting on a fake smile for everyone,” he said.
Aaron’s father Paul explained the helplessness felt by both him and his wife in not being able to get the treatment their son needed.
“I’ve had moments in the car where I have pulled over on the side of the road and said why me? The kind of person I am is if we have a problem, we get a solution and we try to get options. We had no options,” his father said.
“The people of this country have given us this chance. The good news is we can sign a contract and send the money over to the hospital in Pittsburgh and get the operation done at the end of June.”
Just one week later, the fundraiser has reached over €110,000 and the family will now be able to place a deposit on the surgery fee.
Speaking on The Neil Prendeville Show again, Paul said: “I’m elated, relieved, I’ve cried. I’m a dad, I’m a proud Irish man and he’s my boy. We’ve gone through this situation since February last year when he was diagnosed with a tumour.”
Aaron described the reaction to his fundraiser as “overwhelming”.
There’s a lot of weight off my shoulders. It’s overwhelming. I didn’t expect anyone to really get involved. I just put the story out there thinking no one would react.”
Aaron is currently receiving treatment in Cork with the guidance of his neurosurgeon in the US. He is expected to travel to Pittsburgh in June.
You can donate to Aaron's GoFundMe page here.
