Little Livie’s birthday wish has come true.
The family of a special baby girl are celebrating the phenomenal news that they have reached their fundraising goal of €2million to secure a life-saving treatment in the US.
As Baby Olivia Mulhern turns one today, her parents Keith, from Donegal Town, and Karen, from Dublin, are ecstatic with the news that their dreams have become a reality.
With €2million raised from public donations, they can cover the costs of specialist gene therapy for Livie’s spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1.
“We made it,” said Team Livie this afternoon.
“More to come but all we can say at the moment is we’re all absolutely ecstatatic….
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIVIE”
The ‘Better Life for Livie’ fundraising campaign has been an emotional journey for Olivia’s family, friends and people all over Ireland. Keith and Karen, who live in Co. Meath, have received overwhelming support in their race against time to save their precious baby’s life.
Livie’s best hope for living with SMA type 1 is a gene therapy medicine called Zolgensma, which is only available to children under the age of two.
Since Livie’s diagnosis in April, Keith and Karen have pleaded with the public to help change Livie’s life.
Their campaign gained a bittersweet boost in July when €1million was donated by another Irish family. Niall and Aisling Donoher in Co. Laois were running their own fundraiser for their baby boy Dan, who also suffers from SMA, when they got the devastating news that he was no longer a suitable candidate for the treatment. Over €3million had been raised for baby Dan, which was then donated to other families in need.
The €1million from the Donohers set Livie’s parents on a path to reaching their goal in time for August. Livie’s birthday today, 26th August, was always a key target.
As Livie turned one, donations flooded all morning from kind-hearted well wishers. Now the target has been reached, seeing the magic €1million figure is the icing on the cake.
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