Northern Ireland

Family of Co Tyrone boy try to raise £50,000 for spine surgery abroad

Hayden Kelly with his mum Shauna Kildea at their home in Strabane. Picture by Hugh Russell.
Hayden Kelly with his mum Shauna Kildea at their home in Strabane. Picture by Hugh Russell. Hayden Kelly with his mum Shauna Kildea at their home in Strabane. Picture by Hugh Russell.

THE family of a 12-year-old Co Tyrone boy who suffers from a potentially devastating spinal condition say they have been forced to launch a fundraising drive in a desperate bid to get surgery abroad.

Strabane boy Hayden Kelly was diagnosed with scoliosis last year. The condition causes the spine to curve abnormally and can crush the internal organs.

Hayden's mother Shauna Kildea told how she was forced to seek a private consultation because the waiting lists in Northern Ireland are so long.

After originally being told Hayden had developed a 40 degree curvature of the spine the family has been advised by private specialists that it is now at 60 degrees.

Ms Kildea also revealed that despite being diagnosed last September her son only recently received a vital X-ray and MRI scan.

Given the seriousness of Hayden’s condition her family decided to raise the £50,000 needed for treatment in Turkey themselves.

So far just over half the total, £26,000, has been reached.

“When we went private we were told the scoliosis was bad and he would need surgery but the waiting list in Ireland is two to three years,” she said.

“You are told you have to wait but that he needs it urgently.”

“How can I wait two to three years?

“I waited a couple of months getting advice and we made the decision we could not wait two to three years.”

Ms Kildea slammed the current medical waiting lists.

“The waiting lists in Ireland are atrocious, not just for scoliosis patients,” she said.

“It’s crazy for me as a mum, that I have to take my child across the world just to get surgery.”

She said that recent months have been worrying for her family.

"Hayden has autism as well and I'm worrying about travelling.

"We have never travelled and he has never travelled.

"There's a lot of worry but it will be worth it in the end and he will have a better quality of life."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health last night said: "Waiting times are completely unacceptable for scoliosis patients and we fully understand the anxiety this causes patients on the waiting list, many of whom continue to experience pain whilst awaiting treatment.

"We would like to take this opportunity to reassure them that every effort is being made to address capacity issues within the service."

The spokeswoman added that Health Minister Robin Swann has recently launched an Elective Care Framework, "which seeks to address the long standing problem of Northern Ireland's waiting times".

"The initiatives set out in the framework will allow more patients to be seen and they short circuit unnecessary delays in waiting for treatment," he said.

:: To make a donation to Hayden's Appeal visit: https://gofund.me/16befa79.