TJ’s first birthday raises almost €12k for charity

TJ MURPHY’S smiling face as he approaches his first birthday belies the battle the Crosshaven lad has had since coming into the world.

His parents, Emma and Tomás, know exactly what their son has been through and, in gratitude for the help they received from doctors and other medical staff at Cork University Hospital and Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin, they have organised a fundraiser for Children’s Health Foundation to celebrate TJ’s first birthday on Thursday.

Emma said that she and her husband had spent a lot of time in hospital as TJ was being treated: “Coming up to it [his first birthday], we became a bit emotional looking back on everything we’ve gone through. So we just wanted to give something back basically.”

At present, the total donated on TJ’s First Birthday ‘Just Giving’ page is €11,940 and climbing. The final sum will be donated to Children’s Health Foundation, said Emma. One of the larger donations, €500, came from as far away as Australia.

“We were not expecting the incredible response to it,” said Emma.

Just five days after TJ was born, he underwent brain surgery. He has had many medical battles since but he has come through fighting and smiling every time. “He’s just a lovely, happy boy and loves everyone around him and [is] really sociable,” said his mother.

• To donate, search ‘Tjs 1st Birthday Fundraiser’ on justgiving.com