The mother of a Co Tyrone schoolgirl in need of a kidney transplant has told of how it is a “waiting game” for a donor to be found.
Ashlene Connolly said there has been “no movement” on securing a donor for their eight-year-old daughter Cora.
Speaking from the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where the girl was undergoing more check-ups on Monday, Ashlene said “we are still looking and still waiting”.
Cora, from Drumquin, was diagnosed with stage 3b chronic kidney disease last year.
In November, her family were given the devastating news that she needs a kidney transplant.
In a bid to potentially help save her daughter’s life, Ashlene issued an appeal to members of the public to consider becoming a living kidney donor.
She said at the time that Cora, a P5 pupil at St Joseph’s Primary School in Drumquin, “needs a kidney transplant within six to 12 months”.
The mother-of-four also had said she hoped that the “more people who get tested the better chance of finding the perfect match” for Cora and others like her.
Now two months on, Ashlene said Cora is “still waiting”.
“I’ve been tested as a possible match and Ryan (Cora’s dad) has also been tested, as well as a few other family relatives,” she said.
“But we’re still waiting to hear the results, there seems to have been no movement that way.
“We have to just keep thinking positive and hoping the results come through soon. I was tested around two weeks before Christmas and Ryan after the new year, but no results as yet.
“We just want to know, we just keep telling ourselves the results will be through soon and hopefully it will be the results we want.”
Ashlene said they had been delighted with the support received from the community since the appeal to help Cora was issued.
“There’s been lots of local people who have offered support, which is fantastic,” she said.
“The hospital said they try to match with family first and lots of our family have put themselves forward, they’re doing it for Cora.
“But I just wish the ball would roll a bit faster and we could get moving on this.”
Ashlene added that despite the wait, Cora was in “good form”.
“She’s doing great at the moment, she’s had another vaccine today and had her bladder checked and all is ok, which is a good sign,” she said.
“But it’s just a waiting game.
“We don’t want her to have to go onto dialysis and it would be good if she could get the transplant will she is in good health and would have the strength to recover from it all.
“Again I would appeal to anyone to become a donor, to get tested and hopefully it will make a difference.”
