Lucy’s parents Gary and Carleen with Rosses Community School Principal John Gorman and RTE personality Mary Kennedy.
A West Donegal community has come together to support a little baby girl who has a rare skin disorder.
Little Lucy Gallagher from Maghery, who is just six months old, suffers from Harlequinn Ichthyosis.
The condition, which prevents Lucy’s skin from developing properly, affects just 100 children around the world.
Lucy is still at Our Lady’s Hospital in Dublin but yesterday marked the start of a major fundraising campaign for Lucy and her parents Gary and Carleen to give them every support they need.
And the campaign could not have got off to a more inspiring start.
Afterall it’s not every day that you get the support of the Donegal GAA team captain, Daniel O’Donnell, Sir Alex Ferguson and Prince William.
All these personalities have written a piece for a new book called ‘Heroes in the Classroom’ which was launched by pupils at Rosses Community School yesterday.
The students were delighted to have Mary Kennedy from RTE to launch their book which celebrates teachers who have made a positive impact on students’ lives.
The students wrote to many celebrities asking them to recall any teachers
who inspired them and the replies are included in the book.
The book is dedicated to baby Lucy with the book going on sale for €10 in local shops.
Lucy and the Gallagher know they have a long road ahead.
But with the support of the people form The Rosses and across Donegal, that road can be travelled with strength.
In an introduction for the book Carleen writes:
“Doctors informed us that she is, at present, the only child in Ireland with this condition and that there are less than 100 world-wide. I guess at this point we realised how extra lucky we were to be given the chance to care for her.
“Lucy spent her first nine weeks in an incubator where she was covered hourly in paraffin gel. She was given a medicine to encourage her yellow scales to shed.
“Her new skin is red and flaky. As Lucy was born with her eyelids flipped inside out, eye gel was applied hourly to ensure that they didn’t dry out. She gets fed mainly through a tube that connects her nose and tummy.
“Unfortunately, when Lucy was twelve weeks old, she suffered a serious eye infection which has meant she had to undergo six eye surgeries, Carleen said.
“She has had a taste of cosmetic surgery, sporting a pair of new eyelids and has had the outer part of her eyes permanently stitched closed to try to prevent another eye infection.”
