Little Noah’s ‘wish to walk’ may come true – €100,000 raised for surgery in US

THE family of a brave little boy whose brave fight for life has captured the hearts of everyone who has met him are rejoicing after a fundraising campaign raised €100,000 to enable him to travel to the USE for life-changing surgery.

Noah O’Sullivan made the headlines last week after was made an honorary Garda as he was officially inducted as a Little Blue Hero at the Garda headquarters in Dublin.  The occasion was doubly special for Noah as he was accompanied by his uncle, Garda Eric O’Sullivan of Thomastown Garda Station.

Noah’s parents launched a fundraiser to support Noah’s ‘wish to walk’ and to help him get to America for the surgery after discovering he was eligible for selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery, which could give him the chance to learn to walk independently.

Due to his condition, Noah is unable to sit freely or comfortably without a chair and has poor balance.

But now, largely as a result of extensive fundraising events across the South East, Noah’s family have raised the money needed to pay for his surgery in the US.

Confirming they had reached the milestone €100,000 mark, Debbie and David O’Sullivan, who are from Co Waterford, said: “Thank you for your warm and generous support of Noah’s Wish to Walk, which has now achieved funds of €100,000. This will allow our brave little boy travel to St Louis, USA, in October for life-altering surgery to help him walk and fund his three years post-operative physiotherapy.

“Over the past five months people have walked, talked, climbed, knitted, sewed, baked, shaved and sang to raise funds for Noah’s wish to walk. We thank you one and all.

“There are some events in the pipeline yet to happen over the next couple of weeks and all future funds received will go to secure further, very necessary, years of physiotherapy and rehab for Noah.

“From the bottom of our hearts – thank you!”