€31k raised for Cork mum battling leukemia

More than €31,000 has been raised for a young mother from Cork who is battling leukemia and in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant.

A mother of two children, 34-year-old Aishling Thornhill has been in Cork University Hospital since January of this year.

During that time, she has undergone chemotherapy, spinal chemotherapy, immunotherapy and many more treatments to try and get rid of the leukemia cells from her body.

Although initial tests illustrated that Ms Thornhill was negative for leukemia cells, on June 30 she was informed by doctors that further testing had revealed that the leukemia cells are now back in her body.

This meant that the only option available is to be a bone marrow transplant, provided that a donor match can be found by doctors.

Speaking to The Echo, Elaine Cooney, who is a cousin of Ms Thornhill, said: “Aisling has been in the CUH under the exceptional care of Dr Derville O’Shea and her fantastic team of doctors and nurses since January 30 this year.

“Her parents feel helpless in a situation where most parents never wish to see their child. She now faces a bone marrow transplant in Dublin but being an only child this could prove difficult to get a matching donor.

“Unfortunately, her parents and her children are ruled out to go forward as a donor and even though there is a huge family of cousins we are also not eligible to go forward as donors.

“Obviously, financially Aisling has been six months out of work, with now no possibility of returning anytime soon and the financial burden on her with two young kids is a worry for her at this present time.

“As anyone who has spent long terms in hospital will tell you, it isn’t easy. Her road is about to get harder by having to relocate to Dublin in due course and have her transplant. This will be an emotional and also an expensive time for them.”

For anyone wishing to support Ms Thornhill in her leukemia battle and to donate visit ‘help-aisling-thornhill-on-her-journey-with-leukemia’ on gofundme.com.