Posted online: Oct 4th, 2011

The hopes and good wishes of Inishowen, Donegal and the nation will go with young Buncrana girl Keri Kelly as she travels to China tomorrow for potentially life-changing treatment.
The bubbly nine-year old will be joined by her mother Tracey and her mother’s fiancé Michael when she leaves her home in the early hours of the morning for her flight to the pioneering Qingdao Chengyang People’s Hospital, which she will attend for 24 days.
While there, Keri, who has Optic Nerve Hypoplasia – meaning her optic nerves never formed – will undergo eight sessions of stem-cell therapy, which will hopefully allow her to see for the first time.
The trip has been made possible due to the overwhelming generosity of the people of the peninsula and county, who have raised almost 50,000 euro since the Keri’s Search for Sight campaign – highlighted in the Inish Times – was launched in June.
The young girl’s story captured the hearts of the nation and Keri, who has spoken of wanting to see “the rainbow,” her mother’s face and the moon, has appeared in local and national newspapers, as well as on television and radio.
The phenomenal amount raised in the space of just four months, has allowed Keri to travel to China ten months earlier than originally planned and yesterday, her classmates in Scoil Iosagain, Buncrana’s fourth class wished her luck.
Speaking to the Inish Times, Keri’s mother Tracey said while her daughter was “excited” about her trip on a plane, she herself was “extremely nervous” about what lay ahead.
She also thanked everyone who donated money to Keri’s campaign “from the bottom of my heart.”
She said: “I’m nervous, excited, scared; every emotion you could think of. I just don’t know what to expect. We’ll arrive on Wednesday and the treatment will begin two days after.
“Keri will undergo eight treatments over the course of 24 days, seven of which will be through an IV drip and the eight via a lumbar puncture.”
Tracey outlined while there are no guarantees the treatment will work, she felt it was something she had to do for Keri.
“We had to give her this chance,” she said.
“There are no risks and if this is something that can help her then we have to do it. The worst thing that can happen is it doesn’t work.
“We were originally scheduled in for August next year but because so much money was raised so quickly, were able to arrange it for October. I couldn’t believe how quickly the money went up. I just want to thank everyone who organised events or donated money from the bottom of my heart. I can’t express in words how grateful we are. Everyone has just been so kind and generous.”
Tracey said they have explained to Keri the treatment may not work and there was “a 50/50 chance” of a positive outcome.
She said: “We try not to focus too much with Keri on what would happen if this does work. My sister Jacqui is pregnant and she has mentioned that she would like to see the new baby. We hope that can happen but we’ve explained there’s a 50/50 chance it could or could not work and she understands that. She’s just really excited about getting on the plane.”
Tracey paid tribute to Scoil Iosagain, Keri’s teacher Valerie Harkin and special needs assistant Geraldine Timlin, who she said had been “absolutely amazing” over the past few months and given her some work to take to China so she keeps up to speed with her lessons.
Tracey has previously spoken of her intentions for any potential remaining money in the Keri’s Search for Sight fund. If the treatment is successful and Keri needs to go back to China a second or third time, it will go towards that. However, if she does not need to return, the money will be donated to another Irish child to undergo the same treatment.

–