Brave Emily (2) makes history as youngest winner of courage award
THESE are special days for little Emily Ann Daly and her family.
Over the weekend, the two-year-old from Croom, Co Limerick, became the youngest recipient to win the National Children of Courage Award and she will be honoured by President Mary McAleese tomorrow.
Emily's parents, Mike and Caroline, beamed with pride when their youngest child received her award at the gala ball organised by the Share A Dream Foundation in Limerick on Saturday evening.
Emily was one of eight recipients selected from many nominations across the country.
"We are all on a high with this. It is a great boost for the whole family and we are all so proud of Emily," her dad, Mike, said.
The brave girl has survived numerous serious operations to treat a cystic hygroma and vascular malformation.
Her parents had to give up their jobs to provide her with 24-hour care and she will have a tracheotomy for the foreseeable future. She has to be tube- fed into her stomach.
"The cystic hygroma is on her face and she has had several operations on it, but her face is still swollen," Mike said.
"The vascular malformation affects her tongue where there are mixed-up blood vessels. It is swollen and bleeds a lot, but there is no cure for it.
Smile
"Each morning, she wakes up with a big smile on her face and it means the world to us," Mike said.
"She was not meant to speak because of the tracheotomy, but is now putting words together. Her brothers, Colin (10) and Conor (4), are mad about her and always look out for her so this is for them also," he added.
Tomorrow, Emily is off with the seven other recipients to meet President McAleese. More information about Emily can be found on a new website, www.emilyanndaly.com.
The other winners were: Nicole Cahill from Wexford; Sorcha McElchar of Donegal; Michael O'Connor from Dublin; Jamie Murphy from Kilkenny; Christopher O'Connell from Galway; Adam O'Leary of Meath; and Belfast's Jamie Gargan.
After the reception with the President, all recipients will jet off to Disneyland.
Founder of Share A Dream Foundation, Shay Kinsella, said the most difficult aspect of the awards was at the judging stage.
"Reading nominations for very ill and disabled children makes us fully realise how difficult life can be for these children and their parents. Their stories are of heartbreak and illness, but more so of fight, courage and determination."
- Barry Duggan
Irish Independent
