Cavan family of little Mannix (four) appeal for life-saving fund

The parting words of Cavan woman Martina Keogan as she appeals for donations for her nephew's life-saving treatment are powerful: "We won't be back next year looking for this again. It's his only chance. There's no coming back a second or third time, this is it." He's only four years old, but little Mannix Kane was diagnosed with stage-four clear cell sarcoma, an extremely rare form of cancer last year. Brave Mannix is halfway through his cancer treatment, which has included intensive chemotherapy, surgery to remove a tumour and radiation, but his family will not give up hope in the event that his treatment fails and are fundraising so that there will be a back-up plan for Mannix when it finishes in August. "Mannix is getting the best possible treatment in Crumlin Children's Hospital," explains Martina. "The reason for the fundraising is that if the treatment doesn't work, the only options will be clinical trials in America... or palliative care in this country. In the event that treatment doesn't work, the funds will be used for Mannix's parents (Noleen and Brian Kane), to bring him to America. We can't afford to wait till August when his treatment finishes; we need to have funds on standby so he can get clinical trials without delay." If Mannix's current treatment is successful, which his family are hoping and praying it is, funds raised will go to Crumlin Children's Hospital to help others in similar situations. The Mannix Kane Appeal has a target of €350,000. Already, €90,000 has been raised in Co. Meath, where Mannix and his parents live, and Co. Cavan, where he has extended family. A further €100,000 is coming from a trust fund that was set up for a boy who, devastatingly, died. Tiernan O'Neill from Templeogue was only 14 when he died in 2006. Martina is Mannix's grand-aunt and 83-year-old Mary Keogan (nee Duggan), a popular character who was involved with Cystic Fibrosis for 30 years, is Mannix's great-granny, so the Duggans are among his Cavan family. A massive and heartrending campaign is underway to help Mannix. Martina's children and their friends did a 24-hour fast, raising €2,500. Martina's brother, Kieran Keogan, is co-ordinating sales of a charity CD in outlets throughout Cavan. The recording of 'To Be A Child Again' written by Charlie McGettigan and Thao Nguyen and sung by Paul Hennessy, one of the original Irish tenors, is already on sale through people involved in the appeal and, as all services were given free, proceeds go straight to Mannix's fund. Sixty women, including family, friends and supporters, are set to run the women's mini-marathon on the June Bank Holiday Weekend to help have those last-chance funds ready for little Mannix. The group includes Martina and nine other Cavan women as well as a lot of people from Meath and Dublin. There will be more events organised, and Martina asks people to be as generous as they can to her beloved nephew. • For donations, contact Martina at 086-1723041.