Lavey baby battles brain tumour

Damian McCarney
In Lavey

The generosity of people around the globe is giving great heart to a Lavey family whose baby boy has been diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.
Five month old Jake Smith was diagnosed with Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a form of cancer from which only one other Irish child suffers. Since his diagnosis in late December, he has undergone life-saving surgery in St Luke’s and endured potentially fatal seizures. He is currently receiving chemotherapy with dreadful side effects. In the face of such cruel circumstances and continuous setbacks, he has shown amazing resilience.
“It’s one thing after another with him but he bounces back all the time,” says proud mum Andrea during an Anglo-Celt interview (p44-45).
“He tries to sit up, he rolled over the other day. He’s hitting all his markers, as far as they can tell, there is no neurological damage from the surgery.”
With a view to the future, the family have undertaken a major fundraising drive. If Jake is deemed suitable for pioneering treatment in hospitals abroad, they will be able to afford it. Based on the experiences of other families whose children are receiving treatment abroad, the Smiths give the 'ball-park’ estimate of €300,000.
Given the uncertainty over Jake’s health, the funds are being raised with his well-being in mind.
“It is literally for the treatment and care of Jake, and his family in whatever format that might take,” says Luke’s aunt, Martina Smith who is one of the fundraising organisers.
Andrea adds: “So hopefully it is for further treatment, but we will have something in place there,” she pauses to gain the strength to say it, “[if required] for end of life treatment - we are not thinking like that.”
The public have responded amazingly for Jake’s cause already raising around €15,000.
“The response that we’re getting back, it would fill your heart - it’s amazing,” says Martina. “The Facebook page alone is only up a month and we’ve reached 35,000 people.”
“And strangers, they see his little face, they hear his story, they follow him on his page, look at him,” she says of bright eyed Luke being nursed by his mum, “isn’t he amazing? Isn’t he just special?
“If it wasn’t for the deep down good in people, I don’t know where we would be,” she adds.
Ever since Jake’s story, his parents, Andrea and Padraic have witnessed the public’s generosity in Lavey, County Cavan and beyond. Lavey GFC launched a wristband in the Lavey Inn on Friday, some Irish Defence Forces troops, of which Andrea’s cousin is a member, plan to march in full army kit from Baldonnel to Cavan, Virginia College held an 'odd shoe day’ last week, while a local national school are to host a 'no uniform day’. Then there’s the sponsored runs: 100 women are taking part in the VHI Mini Marathon on Jake’s behalf; people running the Connemara marathon, the Edinburgh marathon, and even the Perth marathon. Padraic has on occasion, literally been left speechless: “I had the postman donate to me this morning, saying he couldn’t make [the launch of Lavey GFC’s fundraiser] - what do you say?”

To find out more about Jake Smith’s story, read 'the Inside Story' in this week's Anglo Celt and to donate, search Facebook: 4 Lil Jake’s Sake