THIS Saturday, a family in Ballina-Killaloe will celebrate their last Christmas with their four-year-old son and brother who has just weeks left to live.
Sebastian McLoughlin was diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year, and his parents Conor and Ann and their extended family are seeking help to recreate Christmas this weekend as it is Sebastian’s favourite time of year.
The family have already sourced a snow machine but are looking for help from the public with other Christmas-related items such as reindeer or fake snow.
The are also looking for help to transport Santa on the day, and are hoping to find someone who will lend them Minion costumes, as Sebastian is a fan of the Despicable Me movies.
Conor told Ray D’Arcy on RTÉ Radio 1 this week: “Sebastian really loves Christmas, like any child, it’s his favourite time of the year. He looks forward to it from one end of the year to the other.”
Sebastian fell ill in January this year with headaches and vomiting. He visited an optician after his parents noticed he was squinting, and was referred to hospital, where doctors found a golf-ball sized tumour at the back of his head.
The tumour was removed and Sebatian underwent chemotherapy, but sadly he fell ill again; doctors told his parents this week that his MRI results were “as bad as it could be”.
“Originally they said he had months, but then on Monday we met with the team in Crumlin, the team that does radiation therapy, chemotherapy and the neurosurgeon, and they basically told us it’s more like weeks,” Conor told the Ray D’Arcy show.
Anyone who can help the McLoughlin family make Sebastian’s wish come true should contact the Ray D’Arcy show on ray@rte.ie.
