‘She’s been a real fighter': Cork community rallies around family of 6-year-old undergoing intensive treatment

Mon, 18 May, 2026 - 11:00

“We were afraid we wouldn’t get to this stage, but Noreen is a fighter, and she’s ready for whatever the next six months bring.”

So said Helena O’Mahony, mum of six-year-old Noreen, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia on Valentine’s Day.

She has spent most of this year in and out of Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin, undergoing intensive treatment.

From Ballinadee, near Bandon, the senior infants pupil was initially given a poor prognosis by her medical team, said Helena.

“It was very difficult to get the disease under control and her initial chemotherapy wasn’t as effective in lowering the percentage of cancer in her bone marrow as had been hoped.

“That was really devastating. I actually found that harder than the original diagnosis,” recalled Helena.

She has now just recently finished an alternative high-dose chemo treatment and is back at home in West Cork, ahead of a critical stem cell transplant next month.

“The treatment took an awful lot out her. She’s lost her hair and is currently unable to walk unaided. But she’s still crawling around and trying to do all the stuff that she’s not meant to be doing – she’s been a real fighter throughout it all and is always showing how strong she is,” said her mum.

Noreen with her mum and dad, Helena and Eoin; and her brothers Max and John Joseph

Helena, a health care assistant, and Eoin, multi-task attendant in Clonakilty Community Hospital, and their two sons, Max (4) and John Joseph (7) were tested to see if their bone marrow was compatible with Noreen’s for the transplant.

“John Joseph, who is just 11 months older than Noreen, was a match, which was a huge relief as he’s the only one in the family that was,” said Helena. “He’s delighted and would do anything to help make his sister better. And all we’ve told Noreen is that her blood is sick, and her brother’s blood will make her better.”

It was originally thought the procedure would have to take place overseas, but it’s now scheduled for Crumlin Hospital next month.

“The unit was closed for over a year and she’s the first child to have a bone marrow transplant since it’s reopened. For three days before, she’ll need daily chemo and radiotherapy as the leukaemia needs to get to 0.01% to have the bone marrow. Afterwards, she’ll spend three months in isolation in Dublin, followed by a further three months in isolation back home,” said Helena.

That will bring the family to Christmas, but they’re just taking things day by day.

“There’s a lot of hurdles to clear yet and any little thing could set her back,” Helena said.

Noreen with her dad. Her family say she's been 'a real fighter'.

The family know too well how quickly things can change.

“A few days before Noreen’s diagnosis, she was complaining of a pain in her belly, but she’s coeliac so we thought it was related, and she was still running around the place as normal with her brothers.

“But then on the 13th, she said her legs were too sore to climb the stairs, and the following morning she asked me to go upstairs for her clothes to get dressed because again she said her legs were too sore.

“I took her to South Doc and we were sent straight to the A&E in CUH. We were there by 4pm and we had our diagnosis of leukaemia, (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia - T Cell) by 7pm,” remembers Helena.

A fundraiser was launched locally by Helena’s sister-in-law Caroline Butler for Noreen’s care and associated costs and has so far raised an incredible €93,000. It’s been a huge comfort to the family.

“It’s made a massive difference to us. It’s meant that Eoin has been able to be here with me as it’s not something you could do on your own really. The support we’re getting from our families and our community has been amazing and it’s giving us great strength. My kitchen is full of mass cards, and knowing so many people are praying and lighting candles means the world to me.”

Helena said she hasn’t fully processed everything the family has been through over the past few months.

“Noreen gets upset if we get upset, so you have to keep a brave face on. We’re in survival mode and just trying to hold it all together, but we really feel that Noreen is our miracle and we’ll get through this.”