Friends back Galway mother’s fundraising for son’s life-changing surgery

by Connell McHugh

A Galway mother whose three-year old son suffers from a form of Cerebral Palsy is hoping to raise funds in an effort to provide him with life changing surgery.

Danny Browne, the son of Kelly Ann Geraghty of Ballygar and her Roscommon-native husband Val Browne, was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia at two years of age.

And the family, who live in Roscommon, were advised that the little battler, who celebrates his third birthday this week, could be wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.

But they refused to accept that as the only option – and now their fundraising campaign has attracted support from across the county boundaries, with Kelly Ann’s old friends in Ballygar determined to do their bit.

Spastic Diplegia particularly affects brain signal communication with muscles in Danny’s legs, ankles and lower back. As a baby, he never kicked his legs, was slow to crawl and struggled to sit up without support.

His rigid muscles mean that it is almost impossible for him to stand or walk independently, and doing so causes extreme pain and discomfort.

“It’s heartbreaking to watch Danny’s little sister, Emily, run around effortlessly, while Danny watches on in envy” said Kelly Ann.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale now.