'Our brave Lily-Mae to come home'

LILY-MAE has been receiving an aggressive form of chemo-therapy treatment in an isolation ward at Crumlin Children's Hospital since the beginning of the year.

However, the brave four-year-old has responded so well to treatment that she will be allowed to return home to Claregalway, Co Galway, today.

The little girl's mum Judith Sibley said the family were "hysterically excited" to be going home.

"The big risk had been liver failure but she is now off all the intravenous drugs and her liver looks good, so it looks like we have passed that risk," said Judith.

However, Lily-Mae, who is battling an aggressive and rare children's cancer Neuroblastoma, must now remain in quarantine in her home for up to six months.

Excited

Her family have been carrying out a cleaning blitz at their home to prepare for her return.

"We've been power hosing the patio and cleaning the house from top to bottom. Lily-Mae won't be allowed contact with anyone but myself, Leighton (her father) and Evan (her brother) for between three to six months. It's going to be tough and we are going to have to get creative on entertaining her," she added.

The family are also hoping to arrange some home schooling for Lily-Mae, who is "really excited" about going home after five weeks of aggressive chemotherapy.

Lily-Mae, who has been fed through a tube for the past month, took her first drink in over four weeks this week as she slowly regains her strength. Her mother said she was constantly amazed by what her daughter had endured.

The mum-of-two also told of her relief that HMV had agreed to honour the €27,000 owed to The Sunni Mae Trust from the sale of the charity single, Tiny Dancer.

hnews@herald.ie