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Teen's video plea funds €500k cancer treament

More than €670,000 has been raised to support an Irish teenager's cancer treatment after h...
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Newstalk

06.46 15 Feb 2017


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Teen's video plea fund...

Teen's video plea funds €500k cancer treament

Newstalk
Newstalk

06.46 15 Feb 2017


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More than €670,000 has been raised to support an Irish teenager's cancer treatment after her video went viral internationally.

In the video, Shantelle Tynan pleaded with the public to support her health care costs in the US and said specialist treatment in Houston, Texas would be her "last chance".

Ms Tynan's original target on crowdfunding platform Go Fund Me was €500,000.

Taking to Facebook, Ms Tynan said in response to the donations: 

"The last 38 hours has been a place of love and the people of Ireland have truly came together to help me get better and for that I'm truly thankful. There has been few haters but millions of lovers and each person showing positivity helps us through each day and we are truly over the moon.

"The good always outshines the bad and I now have a true chance at beating this and it is all down to all who shared, commented and donated. I am so excited for my little brother and sister to come home from school to hear that I have made enough to go to Texas."

"I haven't stopped crying"

Ms Tynan's mother Leona Tynan said they have been "blown away" by the support she's received.

Speaking on Kfm yesterday, Leona said: "We have raised over €300k in 36 hours through Shauntelle's video.

"I haven't stopped crying, I haven't slept. We live in a mighty little country and I can't believe that people have been so good. This has been raised by about 18,000 people.

"It's whatever people have. It hasn't stopped. We're nearly there. We're going to get her there and we can't believe it."

Go Fund Me confirmed to the Irish Independent that Ms Tynan's campaign is the largest Irish campaign to ever be held on the crowd-funding platform. 

What happens now?

Ms Tynan has a rare cancer in the form of multi-system histiocytosis x (LCH). She was diagnosed in May 2015 and has undergone five failed treatment protocols. She has had treatment between Ireland and Texas and instead of improving, more systems have become involved.

Having discussed her current health with her primary care physician in Texas Children's Hospital, it was decided that her best chance is to continue treatment in Texas for approximately four months in order to find a combination that her body will respond to.

However, she does not qualify for the HSE’s Treatment Abroad scheme and therefore is not entitled to financial support from the government.

The teen will travel to Texas on March 29 on her own to undergo treatment.

You can make a donation for Ms Tynan's treatment costs here.

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