People from across Donegal and New York are rallying around a young man battling leukaemia, launching a fundraiser to support his medical expenses and his family during this challenging time.
Eamonn Grant, whose parents Eamonn and Mary are from Inishowen, was born and raised in Ardsley, NY.
He has close connections to Donegal and spent many summers and holidays in the northwest with his parents and brother Brendan.
The family are very well known in New York Irish circles, particularly in the local football and Gaelic communities. Eamonn’s mother Mary Grant, whose parents Joe and Angela Fullerton came from Buncrana, was honoured with the ‘Willie Joe Cunningham Memorial Award’ by the Donegal Association of New York in 2020.
Eamonn was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia at the end of October, just three weeks after he and his wife Caroline welcomed the birth of their second baby girl.
“The diagnosis was sudden and earth shattering,” writes Eamonn’s Godmother Eileen Cotter.
Eamonn was immediately admitted to hospital to stabilise and prepare for treatment. He is now receiving lifesaving chemotherapy treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY.
A GoFundMe has been set up to support Eamonn and his family during the many costs of his treatment, as well as the family’s living expenses while Eamonn is unable to work. Over 500 people have donated $76,000 so far to help reach the $100,000 goal.
Eamonn’s diagnosis came as a huge shock to the Grant family during a time which would have been full of celebrations. Married in 2020, Eamonn and Caroline had purchased a family home that they worked hard to fix up. They were to move in the weekend of October 28th when Eamonn felt too unwell to do so, and this prompted a visit to the doctor.
Eileen said: “Eamonn is a sweet and supportive young man that is a source of strength for the people he loves. Please join us in our efforts to make this journey a tiny bit easier, and to ensure that Eamonn and Caroline can focus on what is truly important: his recovery and their beautiful family.”
Visit the GoFundMe appeal here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/eamonn-grants-leukemia-fight
