Tullamore mother moved to fundraising by tragic diagnosis

Offaly mother Hannah McGowan was so moved when she heard about three young Roscommon brothers facing early deaths as a result of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) she’s launched a fundraising drive to help from her workplace in Tullamore.

Hannah is mother to three-year-old Chloe and one-year-old twins Finn and Alfie. This week she explained she couldn’t but do something when she heard of the heartbreaking DMD diagnosis given to eight-year-old Archie and four-year-old twins George and Isaac.

Currently there is no cure and no treatment for DMD, and the terminal illness will rob the boys of their mobility, their independence and eventually their lives. The average life expectancy in Ireland for sufferers of DMD is just 19.

“My daughter goes to Grovelands (childcare),” Hannah explained. “She came home one day talking about these little boys. I looked it up and to be honest it broke my heart. I could relate to it because I have twins myself. This poor family has been told not one but all of their sons are going to die. I just thought ‘I have to do something’.”

That something is a raffle, with Hannah willing to give up two tickets to see Garth Brooks on July 27 to the chosen winner drawn a week before the concert.

Funds will go to help Archie, George, Isaac and their family as well as to help research to be carried out into the condition. More information on the family and DMD is available at www.joinourboys.org.

Tickets priced €2 can be bought at McGowan Insurances on Patrick Street in Tullamore.