THE community in Killanena is to get motoring this Sunday to rally around a young boy in need.
On April 3, there will be a tractor/truck/vintage car/motorbike run starting from Canny’s Bar in Killanena at 1pm, with the proceeds going to help baby Leon O’Mahony.
The fundraising will help get intensive physio which Leon requires, and also help provide him with a sensory room and some of the required equipment for the challenges he will be facing.
Leon is the son of Michelle Lyons and Barry O’Mahony who live in Ennis and he was born very prematurely on May 10 of last year, weighing just 1lb 15oz.
At just three days old he suffered a pulmonary haemorrhage in his lungs, followed by a severe grade IV Intraventricular Haemorrhage on the left hand side of his brain and a grade II one on the right hand side of his brain. He also had a PDA removed.
Following this, his blood pressure and sugar levels became increasingly difficult to manage and he became critical with his chance of survival very slim, each hour being crucial.
While Leon was faced with a range of health challenges, he was finally able to leave the Neonatal Unit aged four months.
He still faces a wide range of issues and challenges and was recently diagnosed with cerebral palsy, so events like the one on April 3 are vital, as it will help him to get the treatment and physiotherapy he needs.
Anyone who wants to make a donation can do so online at GoFundMe
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.