'I trusted my instincts and now Eoin is beating cancer'

By Elaine Keogh

a mother's instinct paid off for her very ill son who had received reassurances from consultants that he was fine but was later diagnosed with cancer.

Eoin Cronly (11) is currently undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoblastic lymphoma and is under the care of Crumlin Children's Hospital for the next three years.

A tumour discovered in his chest was leaning on his heart and lungs, but his parents were initially reassured that the problem was just a virus. His mum Lucy and dad Nigel urged parents to "always trust your instinct" after they pressed for a second opinion.

Lucy explained that Eoin had fainted one Sunday morning last October and when blood tests were inconclusive, he was referred to a paediatrician.

"We were told by the consultant that he had a virus and would be okay. That was two weeks before the diagnosis," she said.

When she got a call to collect him from school she said: "I just knew there was something amiss."

"I rang my husband Nigel and told him that I was taking him to Temple Street Children's Hospital. He was diagnosed later that evening. We were told that Eoin's heart function was greatly reduced and he had a partially collapsed lung."

Lucy cannot bear to think about what the outcome may have been if they had not driven him from their home in Trim, Co Meath to the hospital.

"My worst fear is that he could have collapsed and died but thankfully everything is now going the right way," she said. Once Eoin was diagnosed things happened, at a pace.

Nigel said: "When this happened to us our lives were just thrown into turmoil. Like most people we didn't really know anything about cancer."

On St John's Ward in Crumlin Hospital they met parents of other children fighting cancer and Lucy discovered children's cancer charity Aoibheann's Pink Tie.

The charity provides practical support to the families and also brings a lot of special events into the lives of the children.

hnews@herald.ie